A Jacksonville Beach Police report says 30-40 people were on 1st Street when someone sprayed a substance on people involved.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Memorial Day ended with tears and bloody noses for some people in Jacksonville Beach.
A Jacksonville Beach police report a suspect sprayed something, possibly mace, on a group of 30-40 people on 1st Street.
According to a police report, an officer was patrolling when they saw a big group fighting near 2nd Avenue North.
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When the officer ran up, people were screaming about having something sprayed at them.
It wasn’t just the folks involved in the fight who had to deal with it either.
“Decided to take my dog for a walk in Jacksonville Beach,” said Frank Barlow, who witnessed the incident. “I immediately noticed a lot of activity at the beach that seemed unorganized, like some chaos.”
Barlow says the walk with his dog, Bella, took him down 1st Street in Jacksonville Beach when he saw a big group in the street.
“Next thing I know, there’s people getting drug around on the concrete, stomped, kicked and it’s like a brawl, and we’re right in the middle of it,” said Barlow.
Barlow says he was able to snap a picture with the smart glasses he had on, and moments later, he was relieved his eyes were covered when a mist filled the air.
“The mist came down to me and the dog,” said Barlow. “She was wearing the goggles I got her, and I was wearing these, thank God, but I was burning.”
According to a Jacksonville Beach Police report, an unknown person sprayed something, possibly Mace, on the crowd, affecting quite a few people and three victims in particular who needed help.
Officers took them to rinse off areas nearby to help with coughing, bleeding from the nose and burning eyes to the point one victim said they temporarily lost their vision.
“It’s kind of hard to watch,” said Barlow. “This is our home. We should be able to walk our dogs, let our kids go outside, and that’s not the case.”
With this incident coming after a teen takeover ended with gunshots in February, then a Senior Skip Day in March ended in a series of arrests and guns seized by police, Barlow says he may go a little farther from home for his next walk with Bella.
“Locals are getting tired of it,” said Barlow.
Jacksonville Beach Police said the suspect wasn’t identified, and the case was suspended.