Two individuals sustained gunshot wounds during an episode at the El Sol de Mexico Bar and Grill, located in Brooksville's Ridge Manor area. This incident occurred this morning on Cortez Boulevard, as reported by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. An investigation is currently underway after the Hernando authorities confirmed the shooting and the pursuit of a getaway vehicle—a small black car bearing Georgia license plates—highlighted in initial reports from the scene.
Accounts indicate that the vehicle made a swift departure post-incident, with early reports suggesting the suspects' car was chauffered by a woman with at least one passenger aboard, though it remains uncertain if additional accomplices were present. As per details obtained by ABC Action News, the authorities have yet to update the public on the condition of those injured. Information about the shooting should be promptly communicated to the authorities by dialing 9-1-1.
Further clarity was provided by Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, who expressed his belief that the event stemmed from a botched robbery attempt. In a fortuitous twist of scheduling that placed multiple school resource deputies in proximity, their rapid response was instrumental. "They very quickly got some preliminary information and put it out that we were looking for a small dark-colored car, possibly with [Georgia] tags, and because of that, we were able to get that to Highway Patrol, and Highway Patrol actually stopped the vehicle that matched the description," Nienhuis told WFLA News. This timely intervention presumably averted further harm, given the crowded nature of such establishments during meal times.
Authorities are urging anyone with further insight into the Brooksville shooting to come forward with information. The suspects' vehicle is described as a small, black or dark-colored car with Georgia tags, as noted by WTSP. The community anxiously awaits more details as the sheriff's office proceeds with its investigation and ensures transparency regarding the developments in what appears to be an unsettling breach of peace in a locale famed for its tranquility.
