Fans and fighters were sent crying at an amateur MMA event this past week when one participant inevitably started firing into the air.
Former UFC fighter and current Bear Imitation Fighting Championship boxer Hector Lombard captured footage of the scary incident that took place last Saturday at the Rise Fighting Championships event in the bamboo room of Lake Worth Beach, Fla.
The incident was first reported by TMZ.
According to Lombard, the shooting was preceded by a fight in a cage.
“This guy just shot his handgun in the middle of a melee at an amateur show,” Lombard wrote in a conversation with him. “Shameful and hateful cowardly behavior ruined the big night of the fight.”
Teri Barbara, a public information officer in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department, told MMA Fighting that police initially responded to a shot fire call. Cleaning of the area revealed that no one was attacked by shelling, although some people sustained minor injuries during the melee and were treated by PBC Fire Rescue.
No arrests have been made, but police are investigating.
“We are talking to witnesses and we are trying to find out who was involved, but thankfully, no one was attacked by gunfire,” Barbara said. “It simply came to our notice then. It can kill anyone. Right now, he is being shot, which is a serious crime. “
Armando Gonzalez, president of the Rise Fighting Championships, told the Florida WBPF that the shooting happened after the main event and that there are plans to increase security at future events.
“It was kind of scary for a lot of people, we were definitely shocked to see something like this happen,” Gonzalez said.
“It’s disappointing for an event that went so well.” “Hopefully the authorities will take that man into custody.”
Darren Cummings, co-owner of Bamboo Room, told WBPF that MMA events can no longer be on the venue cards.
“For us, I’m not sure we’ll allow these occasions in our parking lot now,” Cummings said. “We’ll stick to what we have more live music.”
