Police Release Chaotic Video Of Father's Day Mass Shooting In Royal, Florida

One person was killed and several others were wounded Sunday evening in “a senseless incident” at a massive Father’s Day celebration, Chief Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chris Hayworth said Monday.

In a video released Monday by the sheriff's office, Hayworth said the shooting happened “when two people from the Tampa Bay area came upon each other."

Rapheal Tyree Thomas, 22, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

According to the sheriff's office, Thomas ran through a parking area toward Bethel Church on County Road 462 about 150 yards from the scene of the shooting in attempts to flee law enforcement.

Deputies can be seen in a video running past people ducking for cover and pointing toward Thomas, who tossed his handgun into an occupied vehicle and crawled under the car. Deputies then dragged him out from beneath the car. They also recovered the firearm.

The murder victim has been identified as Cornecia Smikle, 25, who was shot in the upper torso.

“We have an active and ongoing investigation, so we have limited information that we can provide,” Hayworth said in the video. “There were 10 victims, all transported to hospitals, with one passing away….”

He said one person is in intensive care, “some are in stable condition and others have checked out of hospitals.” Several of the injured people are related to each other. Their names were not released.

Deputies released a probable cause affidavit, but some sections are redacted, including his statement to investigators.

He was taken to the Sheriff’s Office on Powell Road in Wildwood, but he was taken to the emergency room when he complained of feeling sick. Once cleared medically, he was taken back to the sheriff's office.

Investigators learned that he was convicted of armed robbery in Hillsborough County in 2017.

Royal is a historically Black community founded by freed enslaved people.

The Father’s Day event draws between 8,000 and 10,000 people, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Michelle Keszey.

Hayworth described it as a “non-sanctioned event” on private property. However, it sometimes spills over to the five-acre Royal Park. It is not clear if the shooting, which happened around 8 p.m., took place on public or private property.

This isn't the first time the event has turned violent.

In 2018, a woman brandishing a gun sparked a stampede, with people trampling each other, and knocking down tents and tables. Two children suffered burns from cooking oil in that incident.

Hayworth praised law enforcement officers for their response.

“Everyone ran toward the threat, we were able to identify the suspect, and were able to apprehend him, and everyone tried their very best to provide life-saving measures,” he said.

He thanked the Citrus and Marion counties sheriff’s offices for assistance, and the Florida Highway Patrol.