SPRING HILL, Fla. - A late-night brawl over who got to sit in the front passenger seat outside a Hernando County bar ended in gunfire, a massive law enforcement search and zero actual injuries, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
Hernando County police investigation
What we know:
A call came into the sheriff’s office a little before midnight Monday from Jiggers Bar on St. Andrews Blvd.
Sheriff Al Nienhuis said two men and a woman went to the venue, two miles north of Weeki Wachee State Preserve.
According to the sheriff, an altercation broke out between the two men outside the business over who was going to sit in the front passenger seat next to the female driver, whether it was going to be her boyfriend or the other man. During the fight, the sheriff said one man fired shots at the other. Someone then laid a gun on the bar, stating he had just shot a man in the parking lot, according to the sheriff.
Deputies, a police dog and a helicopter spent thousands of dollars searching the area for the fleeing victim.
The sheriff said that while deputies combed the area, the alleged victim sent a social media message to the shooter reading, "You shot me."
However, when tracked down, investigators said the man advised he was not actually shot, and neither party wished to press charges.
Weeki Wachee shooting dispute
What we don't know:
It remains unclear if any charges will be brought in the future. Sheriff Nienhuis said no charges have been filed so far, but he plans to consult with the state attorney to review the incident.
Sheriff reaction to search
Why you should care:
Sheriff Nienhuis noted the massive response cost the sheriff's office and local taxpayers a tremendous amount of money for a completely avoidable issue.
What they're saying:
"You just can't make this stuff up," Nienhuis said. "We spent thousands of dollars trying to search for the supposed victim and all over who was going to sit in the car on the ride home or wherever they were going to go after leaving here."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, who detailed the investigation during a press statement, as well as 911 callers and deputies who responded to the scene.