Miami, Florida

From the Miami Herald of October 2, 2006

Dispute at strip club ends in death

A security guard at a popular strip club in Miami Gardens apparently shot into a car during a dispute with a customer, killing one man and injuring another.

The driver of the car managed to drive nearly three miles east on Miami Gardens Drive before coming to a stop in front of the Sky Lake Mall near North Miami Beach.

The driver was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Miami-Dade homicide detectives early Monday morning found a second man sprawled in the back seat shot to death.

A witness told The Miami Herald that the greenish sedan was quickly going in reverse toward two uniformed security guards at Tootsie's Lounge, 150 NW 183rd St., when one of the security guards fired into the car.

The two men in the car had gotten into a dispute with a stripper inside. The car had an out-of-state license plate.

Business continued as usual at Tootsie's as homicide detectives interviewed the security guard and witnesses. Police were unavailable for comment.

It is not clear if the guards will face charges. Florida's new ''Stand Your Ground'' law, passed last year, allows someone who feels threatened to shoot in self-defense, even if they don't see a gun.

Detectives were working the two scenes early Monday. Investigators were examining the security guard's cart in the middle of the parking lot just south of the main entrance. The two security guards were taken to Miami-Dade police headquarters.