Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Man charged with attempted murder in Palmetto strip club shooting

A 24-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder for a shooting at a Palmetto strip club early Monday that left three people hurt.

Roshard Williams was arrested in Sarasota late Monday. A second suspect, possibly a woman, remains at large, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The shooting of three people at Pandora’s Box, 3823 U.S. 41 N., did not surprise Nick Mitha, owner of the nearby Angler’s Discount Store.

“In this area, the young kids carry guns, and they even come into my store and ask if I want to buy one for $200,” Mitha said Monday afternoon, between waiting on a steady stream of mostly beer-purchasing customers. “It’s crazy. Most of these kids around here don’t know how to correctly handle a gun. We have to take these guns away.”

When Mitha arrived at his store just before 7 a.m. Monday from his home in Tampa, he saw many law enforcement vehicles and the manager of Pandora’s Box being interviewed by detectives.

A man was shot twice about 2:41 a.m. Monday at Pandora’s Box and was in stable condition at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, said Dave Bristow, a sheriff’s office spokesman.

Read more of reporter Richard Dymond's report at Bradenton.com