Mike Franck, a 34-year-old African American man, was fatally shot on April 1, 2017, outside the Palace Hookah Lounge in Tampa’s SoHo entertainment district. The shooting occurred about 4:30 a.m. after a man who had been ejected from the club returned and opened fire from his car. Franck reportedly dove in front of the bullets to shield others and was killed; at least two people were protected by his actions and four other people were wounded.

The suspect, 22-year-old Gary Omar Rivera Montanez, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and multiple counts of attempted murder in connection with the drive-by. Survivors and friends described Franck as friendly and welcoming; he was a graduate of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and worked as an engineer. His loss prompted efforts to honor his memory, including the creation of a scholarship in his name.