Current:Home > Contact3 separate shootings mar St. Patrick's Day festivities in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. -VisionFunds
3 separate shootings mar St. Patrick's Day festivities in Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
View
Date:2025-04-13 18:28:47
Police are searching for multiple suspects in three different shootings that left one person dead and at least three injured as thousands crowded in downtown Jacksonville Beach, Florida, Sunday night for St. Patrick's Day festivities.
The shootings occurred near the city's beachfront after police broke up a group of up to 400 people in their late teens who gathered under the pier Sunday afternoon.
"This group engaged in boxing matches, fights and other incidents. The Jacksonville Beach Police Department had to take action," Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith said at a new conference on Monday morning. "When the crowd dispersed, that's when the shooting happened."
Police responded to the first shooting at a Best Western hotel at around 7:50 p.m., Smith said. The shooting left three people injured – two were transported to the hospital afterwards, and another self-reported an injury. Authorities believe two of the victims fired at each other, while the third was an innocent bystander, Smith said.
Less than half an hour later, reports came in of a second shooting in a parking lot outside the Ritz, a cocktail bar. No one was injured or killed, and the shooter fled the scene in a black ski mask, Smith said. Officers found one firearm.
Police responded to the third shooting, which left one victim dead, at Sneakers Sports Grille at 8:31 p.m. Officers believe three suspects pulled out firearms, Smith said. The identity of the 21-year-old victim has not been released.
The shootings are believed to be unrelated, Smith said. The investigation remains ongoing, and the identities of the suspects have not been released.
"Quite frankly, I'm pissed off," Smith said. "I want you to come to Jacksonville Beach, I want you to live here, I want you to visit, but if you break the law, we're going to put you in jail."
Smith said officials do not know if any of the shootings were gang-related. The victim who self-reported their injury in the first shooting is a known gang member, he said.
Jacksonville police have asked people to contact authorities if they have information related to the incidents.
veryGood! (14112)
Related
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- Wilcox Ice Cream recalls all flavors due to possible listeria contamination
- Police: Kentucky bank shooter wrote in journal about ease of buying assault weapon before killings
- Messi’s Argentina beats Brazil in a World Cup qualifying game delayed by crowd violence
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Ex-Trump Organization executive Jeffrey McConney chokes up on stand at fraud trial, says he's very proud of work
- Gene Simmons is proud KISS 'did it our way' as band preps final two shows ever in New York
- New AP analysis of last month’s deadly Gaza hospital explosion rules out widely cited video
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- A Las Vegas high school grapples with how a feud over stolen items escalated into a fatal beating
Ranking
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Britain’s Conservative government set to start cutting taxes ahead of likely election next year
- No. 5 Marquette takes down No. 1 Kansas at Maui Invitational
- King Charles III honors K-pop girl group Blackpink during South Korean president’s state visit
- Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
- Why Twilight's Kellan Lutz Thinks Robert Pattinson Will Be the Best Dad
- A Las Vegas high school grapples with how a feud over stolen items escalated into a fatal beating
- Suspected militants kill 5, including 2 soldiers, in pair of bombings in northwest Pakistan
Recommendation
What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featured live animals (bears and elephants)
How Travis Kelce Really Feels About His Nonsense Tweets Resurfacing on Social Media
Jeff Bezos fund donates $117 million to support homeless charities. Here are the recipients.
Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
Escaped inmate facing child sex charges in Tennessee captured in Florida
IAEA head says the barring of several nuclear inspectors by Iran is a ‘serious blow’ to monitoring
Jeff Bezos fund donates $117 million to support homeless charities. Here are the recipients.