11 Hurt in Mass Shooting in Tourist-Heavy Savannah Area

An argument between two women led to a gunfight that left 11 people hurt in a busy tourist area of Savannah, Georgia, late Saturday, one of five weekend shootings in the city, two of which were fatal, authorities said. Two people were injured in separate shootings Friday. Two more shootings Saturday resulted in two deaths. Then came the gunfire just before midnight Saturday near Savannah's Ellis Square, the AP reports. The shooting broke out as two women argued in an area business, according to Police Chief Lenny Gunther, who didn't name the establishment. The chief sought to assure people that police staffing will be sufficient to keep the public safe during the tourist-heavy Memorial Day weekend.

"One shot rang out. That triggered other individuals to shoot," he said. "We had multiple individuals discharge their weapons to shoot at each other, which resulted in multiple people getting shot." Ten of the 11 injured were hit by gunfire. Authorities did not say what caused the 11th injury. Victims were treated at the scene and "several" were taken to a hospital, police said. None of the injuries appeared life threatening. Ellis Square is in Savannah's historic district, an area popular among tourists and locals. It was developed in 2010 and is known for a large fountain and a life-sized statue of songwriter Johnny Mercer.

(More Georgia stories.)