TAMPA, Fla. — A man is facing multiple hate crime charges after he used racial slurs and fired his gun Monday night outside of a Tampa bar, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Officers responded just before 9 p.m. to the SoHo Saloon on South Howard Avenue after receiving a call that shots were fired.
An investigation revealed that 30-year-old Dustin McCann was removed from the bar after he repeatedly used the "n-word" toward a Black security guard, police said.
Witnesses told investigators McCann got into his car parked across the street and drove away while firing gunshots into the air and shouting "White Power."
After obtaining a warrant, Tampa police found and arrested McCann with the help of the Arcadia Police Department. He was charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and one count of discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle. All charges include a hate crime enhancement.
"Racist conduct like this has no place in our community, which is why our
Tampa Police Officers worked swiftly to find this suspect in less than 24
hours and bring him to justice," Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor said. "He will now be held accountable for his criminal actions."