Jacksonville beach shooting: Video shows terrified beachgoers scatter for cover as gunfire erupts in Florida beach leaving one dead and two injured

In a press conference on Sunday, March 17, 2024, Jacksonville Beach Police Department Sergeant Tonya Tator said one person had died and two others were in stable condition after an active shooting incident in Jacksonville Beach.

Tater said the shooting reportedly occurred “out in the open” while several people had gathered during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Sunday evening in the beachfront bar district part of the city.

The shooting prompted the closure of the downtown district/bar area and the beachfront in Jacksonville Beach as police continued to look for the suspects in the incident.

A video shared by Raws Alerts on X showed terrified beachgoers scattering for cover as distant gunshots were heard in the area. The footage also showed numerous law enforcement and other emergency agencies responding to reports of an active shooter at Jacksonville Beach.

At the time, in a press release on Facebook, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department urged people to take shelter in place.

“The Jacksonville Beach Police Department is currently working on an active shooter incident in our downtown area. This is an active scene and we are asking everyone to shelter in place at this time. If you have any information that can assist us, please call 904-270-1661. We will update with further information as soon as possible.”

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Jacksonville beach shooting suspects still on the loose

In a press conference, Sergeant Tonya Tator said multiple suspects were still on the loose following the shooting that left one dead and two injured.

The shooting reportedly occurred in the bustling beachfront bar district part of the city Sunday evening. The injured were reported to be in stable condition but authorities did not disclose their identities at the time of writing the article.

Tator, who said police are still exploring the circumstances that led up to the shooting, added the potential motive for the incident remains unclear as they continue to search for the suspects.

However, Tator noted she suspected the shooting to be connected to separate incidents.

"There were several different incidents that were ... potentially unrelated. So we want to know as much as we can find out."

Tator urged the public to reach out to them with any information, including videos, pertaining to the incident.

“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to figure out everything, to put all the pieces together. So we’re just asking that if anybody sees anything, hears anything, knows of someone that was involved please (call the police department).”

The shelter-in-place order was lifted at around 11 p.m. as officers remained on the scene investigating the incident. Tator said additional information will be disclosed during a press conference on Monday at 8 a.m.

Meanwhile, the age and gender of the victims in the shooting were undisclosed.