A car fleeing police slams into a bar in Florida, killing 4

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A car fleeing from police crashed into a crowded bar early Saturday morning, killing four people and injuring 11 in a historic Tampa, Florida, neighborhood known for its nightlife and tourists.

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An air patrol unit spotted a silver sedan driving recklessly on the freeway around 12:40 p.m. after it was spotted street racing in another area, the Tampa Police Department said in a statement.

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The Florida Highway Patrol caught up with the vehicle and attempted a PIT maneuver, which involves hitting the rear fender to cause a spin, but was unsuccessful.

Highway Patrol officers became “incapacitated” as the vehicle sped toward historic Ybor City near downtown, police said, and the driver ultimately lost control and struck more than a dozen people near Bradley's Bar on 7th Street.

Three people died on the spot, the fourth died in the hospital. As of Saturday afternoon, two people were hospitalized in critical condition, seven were in stable condition and two were treated and released, police said. In addition, there were two people who suffered only minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene.

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“What happened this morning was a senseless tragedy, our hearts are with the victims' loved ones and everyone affected,” Police Chief Lee Berkow said in a statement.

Police identified the suspect as 22-year-old Silas Sampson, who was charged Saturday and was being held in the Hillsborough County Jail.

Court documents show Sampson was charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing or fleeing with serious bodily injury or death, all first-degree felonies.

Sampson's list did not immediately list any attorney who could speak on his behalf.

“Our entire city is feeling this loss,” Mayor Jane Castor, who also served as Tampa’s first female police chief, said on social media. She added that the investigation is ongoing.

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In recent years, some state and local agencies have pushed to limit high-speed car chases to protect both civilians and officers. Following the rising death toll, a 2023 study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice called for a reduction in chases, saying the dangers often outweigh the immediate need to take someone into custody.

However, the Florida Highway Patrol has loosened restrictions on car chases and PIT maneuvers, tactics that a Justice Department-backed report described as “high-risk” and “controversial.”

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Kate Payne is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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