Four people are dead and at least 13 others injured after a street racer fleeing police lost control and crashed into a popular LGBTQ nightclub in Tampa, Florida.
Surveillance video from the club shows pedestrians running for safety as a silver Toyota Camry careens through an intersection and into a crowd of more than a dozen people outside Bradley’s on 7th.
The crash occurred around 12:45 a.m. on Saturday, just 15 minutes before drag performers were scheduled to take the stage, according to the New York Post.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, while a fourth died later at a local hospital. At least 13 others were hurt, including two in critical condition. Two victims with minor injuries refused treatment. All were over the age of 20, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said.
According to a news release from the Tampa Police Department, an aviation unit spotted a car driving recklessly on Interstate 275 that had earlier been seen street racing on Hillsborough Avenue near 22nd Street. Officers from Tampa Police and the Florida Highway Patrol briefly pursued the vehicle before the driver lost control and crashed into Bradley’s on 7th. The driver, identified as 22-year-old Silas Sampson, was taken into custody at the scene.
Sampson faces four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing or eluding with serious bodily injury or death — all first-degree felonies. He is being held without bond.
Police said Sampson made “spontaneous statements” after his arrest, including “I made a mistake,” asking how many people he had killed, and saying, “Just get me to jail so I can sit for a few months.” Officers also reported that Sampson appeared intoxicated, showing “signs of impairment,” including the smell of alcohol, slurred speech, and unsteadiness. They are awaiting the results of a blood test to confirm that, according to WTVT.
“Our hearts are broken this morning following the devastating crash,” Bradley’s on 7th wrote in a statement posted to social media. The message was shared by RuPaul’s Drag Race alum and Florida drag performer Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige, who also offered condolences to those affected.
“This tragedy has struck at the heart of Tampa’s LGBTQ+ community,” the nightclub continued. “Bradley’s on 7th is more than just a nightclub, it is a sanctuary, a space of celebration, love, and chosen family for countless people across Tampa Bay. For years, it has stood as a cornerstone of our community’s resilience and joy. Today, we mourn with our friends at Bradley’s, the victims’ families, and everyone affected by this senseless act.”
More than 9 in 10 LGBTQ adults are out to someone in their lives about their sexual orientation or gender identity -- yet many remain closeted when it comes to family members or co-workers.
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January, 96% of LGBTQ adults say they have told someone about their identity, while only 3% say they have not come out to anyone. However, up to one-third of LGBTQ adults -- including those who have come out to “someone” -- say they are not out to extended family members, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, or cousins.
The owners of Pink Pony, a new gay nightclub in Sydney, have apologized and vowed to change the club's name following backlash from the local LGBTQ community.
Kevin Du-Val and Michael Lewis — the owner and manager of the popular gay club Palms — had planned to open their new multi-level venue on Oxford Street, the main drag in Darlinghurst known for its vibrant LGBTQ nightlife, in early December.
But the club's name — which the owners said in a since-deleted social media post was "unashamedly inspired by its namesake song that resonates so profoundly within our community," referring to lesbian singer Chappell Roan's hit "Pink Pony Club" — sparked controversy after they described the type of patrons they hoped to attract, seemingly at the expense of others, according to 9News.
An interracial gay couple who run an award-winning farm in King George County, Virginia, say they were the targets of a hate-filled act after someone deliberately dumped medical waste on their property following last week’s state elections.
Kevin Graham, 44, and Dragan Kurbalija, 47, own Gardening Gays Farm, a 27-acre property along U.S. Route 301 where they sell flowers, eggs, seasonal produce, and pasture-raised meats, including lamb and chicken.
They also sell jams, sauces, teas, herbal remedies, local honey, handcrafted candles, and other artisan goods at their on-site store, and share their experiences as farmers on YouTube. The business was recently voted King George County’s “Overall Best Business,” “Best Family-Owned Business,” and “Best Agricultural Business” in a county-sponsored “Best of the Best” contest.
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