Three Killed at Central Florida Bar
Last Edited: Saturday, 24 May 2008, 11:18 AM EDT
Created: Saturday, 24 May 2008, 11:18 AM EDT




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AUBURNDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say at least two members of a Tampa-area music group were among three people shot and killed inside a Central Florida bar.

Polk County Sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Wood says two members of Poison Dart, a group described on their MySpace page as "Reggae/Hip Hop/Roots" music performers, were shot and killed shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday.

The group was at the Thunderbird Bar in Auburndale, which is about 50 miles east of Tampa.

Wood says 35-year-old Michael S. Rattigan and 29-year-old Antone G. Neely died from their injuries. The third shooting victim has not yet been publicly identified.

Wood says no one has been arrested, and that only some of the bar's patrons are cooperating with detectives.



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Three Dead After Shooting In Polk Co. Bar

AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- Three men are dead after a shooting at a Polk County bar.Deputies responded to a noise disturbance at The Thunderbird Bar in Auburndale around 2:40 Saturday morning.While on their way to the bar, the sheriffs office received more information regarding a possible shooting at the bar. Neely, 29.The third victim, Michael Rattigan, 35, died later Saturday morning at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.Neely and Rattigan were both deejays with the group Poison Dart. Neely lived in Tampa, and Rattigan lived in Riverview."This is a brutal murder scene," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "It appears this had something to do with the deejays, as they were the only victims we know of. Someone knows the name of who did this, and we need that name."Judd asked that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 800-226-TIPS.

-- Edited by twofirst at 12:58, 2008-05-24