On Memorial Day, a mass shooting that resulted in nine people being injured occurred on a boardwalk at Hollywood Beach, Florida.
Surveillance footage showed bystanders taking part in the holiday before the sound of gunshots sent them running for their lives. According to Deanna Bettineschi, a spokesperson for the Hollywood Police Department, it is believed that the shooting stemmed from an altercation between two groups on the boardwalk.
Police were called to the beach around 6:45 p.m., where they found nine victims with gunshot wounds. These individuals were taken to local hospitals for treatment, including Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, though the ages of the victims have not been revealed.
One person of interest has been held, and authorities are currently searching for another person, described as a black man with dreadlocks, who is on the run. Video footage shared on social media captured first responders tending to the victims.
Jamie Ward, a 46-year-old witness to the fight, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he saw someone with a compression tourniquet on his leg and another person with a compression bandage on his chest being taken away by an ambulance.
Bettineschi has requested that anyone with pictures or videos of the incident come forward to assist the police with their investigation. Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy expressed his gratitude to the people who offered first aid to the victims.
Hollywood is a popular beach destination located about 20 miles north of Miami.