Police Investigating Shooting Near Downtown Hotel

A verbal dispute Saturday night between a lone suspect and a group of people ended in gunfire Saturday outside the Williams Park Hotel.

Around 9:07 p.m., St. Petersburg Police responded to the hotel, located at 326 1st Ave. N after receiving calls about a shooting at that location.

Police said the exact nature of the dispute that led to the shooting is still under unclear, but the officers learned there had been a verbal dispute between a lone suspect and a group of people who were walking in front hotel.

The verbal dispute turned into an argument and then the argument became physical between the suspect and several individuals.

According to police, the suspect pulled a handgun and fired it multiple times in the direction of the Hotel, shattering a large plate glass window and several
glass doors and damaging the walls inside of the lobby of the hotel.

A window panel at a nearby bus shelter was also shattered.

No one was injured in the shooting.  No arrests have been made.

The owner of the Williams Park Hotel, Julia Gramaila, estimated the total damage to the Hotel is about $7,000, police said.