The hunt for the person who opened fire during a zombie festival in Florida late Saturday night has been a "nightmare," Fort Myers police chief Dennis Eads said Monday.
No suspects have been identified in the shooting, which killed one, injured five and happened as thousands of costumed revelers — some of whom were carrying fake guns — strolled around downtown Fort Myers during the annual event known "ZombiCon."
The festival is described by organizers as "the largest gathering of zombies and those who love them in the state of Florida."
Describing the aftermath of the shooting, Eads said that it was "very difficult" to distinguish between a bogus firearms and real ones.
"it was definitely, at the very minimal, be a nightmare," Eads said. "Especially after shots were fired. At that point then you had 15 or 20,000 suspects."
A YouTube video of the shooting released Monday by Fort Myers police showed a downtown street packed with people. As dance music thumped and someone dressed in a grim reaper outfit posed for a photo, a barrage of shots rang out.
"Oh, oh, oh," someone can be heard saying as people darted past the camera.
Eads said that social media was aiding the investigation, though he cautioned would-be vigilantes who are "looking on their own."
"Just provide us with information so we can follow up on it," he said.
The one person killed during the shooting, Expavious Tyrell Taylor, is being remembered as a drummer and football player who, at the age of 20, had overcome more than his share of tragedy: when he was eight, his father died; two years ago, so did his mother. Last year, Taylor's son died, and shortly after that, he lost his grandmother, NBC affiliate WBBH reported.
All five people injured by the gunfire had been treated and, prior to their release from the hospital, interviewed by authorities, Eads said. Yet it was still unclear whether the shooting was targeted or random.
"It will come out at some point," he said.
