CLEARWATER, FL — A 17-year-old boy was taken to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital after a shooting during a Sunday evening “teen takeover” in Clearwater Beach, Clearwater police said in a news conference. (Watch the full news conference below.)
Police received reports of “a shooting during a fight” in the 100 block of Coronado Drive around 5:15 p.m., Deputy Chief Michael Walek said at the news conference.
Officers found the gunshot victim at the scene with injuries that “are not thought to be life-threatening,” Walek said,
Multiple people were detained for questioning, while many others fled the scene after the shooting and when police responded.
To manage the situation, the department limited access to affected beach areas using “a traffic plan that is commonly used on July 4,” according to Walek.
Police also responded to reports of large crowds gathering in other locations and creating disturbances on Sunday evening.
Clearwater police received assistance from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Largo Police Department.
In the aftermath, officers checked local hospitals to see whether anyone else had been hurt.
The department’s Threat Management Unit was aware of a planned gathering at the beach and had assigned resources to the area ahead of time.
“Hundreds of people” were reported in the area, similar to spring break, Walek said.
He added, “You can phrase it however you want. Teen takeover, meetup, it's all organized through social media.”
Several people were detained following the shooting. No information was released about their ages or genders.
Walek also addressed public concern about beach safety at the start of summer break from school.
“Some of those people who gathered decided to break the law [on Sunday night.] That type of behavior cannot and will not be tolerated,” he said. “Make myself clear. This is the first weekend of summer here at Clearwater Beach. I want to send a very, very clear message to anyone who plans to come here and engage in the kind of behavior we saw this evening. Don’t do it. If you do, your trip to the beach will end with a trip to jail.”
Watch the full news conference:
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