NEW YORK (March 9) - Eight people were shot and two were stabbed early Sunday when a brawl erupted inside a nightclub above a Times Square arcade, police said. Two others were trampled as people rushed to get out.

A man who was shot in the chest and a woman shot in the stomach appeared to be the most seriously injured. Both were in critical condition Sunday, said police Sgt. Dennis Ferber.

Police said they were searching for two suspects and talking to three people arrested on weapons charges at a nearby subway station shortly after the fight.

The department cracked down on gang violence in the area last year because of brawls, but police officials said that Sunday's fight apparently was not gang-related.

The Broadway City Arcade and club shares a block on West 42nd Street with the theaters that stage the musicals ''The Lion King'' and ''42nd Street'' and with Madame Tussaud's wax museum.

Club security guard Omar Leger said he was in a bathroom when he heard gunshots about 2:40 a.m., and emerged to see people running toward the exits. He said clubgoers were falling and tripping over each other as they scrambled to get out.

''People were getting trampled,'' said Leger, who estimated that as many as 350 people were in the club.

Another security guard, Juan Jose De la Cruz, said the club's policy is to pat patrons down as they enter to check for weapons.

The brawl followed a month in which a nightclub stampede in Chicago killed 21 people and the club fire in West Warwick, R.I., killed 99.

A man who answered the phone at the arcade early Sunday declined to comment.

All 10 shooting and stabbing victims were ages 17 to 25.

The conditions of the other patrons injured in the melee were not immediately known, but police said their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

AP-NY-03-09-03 1332EST

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Toooo beeee geeeeeiiiisha...u mus hav abirity...stop men ded in twak...

I assume this is a Hip-Hop club?

I assume so also....
but nevertheless this is just worse for us clubgoers who go out and want to have a good time without getting a cap up their ass

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http://www.iTOXA.com

Holy Crap!

I was suppose to be in the city today to see Les Miz, but it got cancelled. Now I'm happy that I wasn't there.

This is a huge slap in the face for clubs. Once again, this will effect all clubs in the US. Hip-hop of not, it's gonna make stupid law-makers and politicians think of new "laws" to our safety and benefit.

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"The mind is like a parachute, it works better if it's open."

funny story - my mom called me at work this morning to make sure I was "ok" and to see if I was at the club during the shooting. I said "mom, I think this happened at a hip hop club and I don't really go to those types of clubs." then she proceeded to ask me what hip hop was. lol After I explained what hip hop was then she said "ohhhh, so that's like a "darker" club." yes, mother. She is naive, but I love her.

Regardless, I agree - bad news for clubbers.

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It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.

"Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. Yes, is the answer."

I was actually in the city visiting from Ottawa - got married and seen Tori Amos. My hotel was only a block away and when the shooting happened I was at Sound Factory.
We were actaully going to hang out outside Time Square and have some drinks at a bar close by. Thank god I wanted to check out Sound Factory.

The name of the place is Broadway City.
All the arcade / bars (i.e Barcode) in Times square have all kinds of gang rivalries and shit.
If you ask me, gangs are mad lame and only pussies roll in 'gangs'.
I dont think it was a hip hop club, but it still sucks

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often imitated never duplicated
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Soundcloud: Taso Zoitas

dude first of all who cares what kind of club it was we all know it was drug related. everyone that wants to have a good time is not going to like going outside any more all of the people of the world r crazy and it dont matter what club it was we r all human.what if some dude had a bad day abd just felt like busten a cap in people cause he was crazy or maybe a girl had a bad pms day. if you kids r getting worried dont the clubs that play the beats are ok they have the best security.i wouldnt worrie about.