Shooting outside Hypnosis 8.0 club in Smithtown hurts one, cops say

At least two people are being sought in a shooting outside a nightclub on East Main Street in Smithtown early Friday that left one man hospitalized with a non-life-threatening leg injury, police said.

Suffolk County police said the shooting occurred outside Hypnosis 8.0 at 1:15 a.m. A police spokesman said “multiple shots” were fired and that the victim, a 29-year-old man from Central Islip, was shot once in the leg. He was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital via Smithtown Fire Department Ambulance. His condition is unknown.

Investigators said initial indications were that the shooting involved patrons from the club, but police said “we don’t have a shooter identified at this time.” Police said in an incident account released Friday that “at least two people” fired shots.

It was not immediately clear if the victim was targeted.

Police said a patron inside the club damaged a water pipe by hanging on it, causing it to burst, which led to patrons evacuating the club. Once outside, police said, an altercation ensued, leading to the shooting.

Investigators are now reviewing video surveillance footage in an attempt to identify suspects.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Fourth Squad detectives at 631-854-8452 or Suffolk Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”