The police department said the “social media-organized” event is planned for Saturday, March 7 at 3 p.m. near the Jacksonville Beach Pier.

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The Jacksonville Beach Police Department announced Friday that more officers than usual will patrol the beach this weekend due to a potential “takeover” event.

The agency said the “social media-organized” event is planned for Saturday at 3 p.m. near the Jacksonville Beach Pier.

“As we have done in recent weeks, our department has been actively monitoring this event well in advance,” JBPD said in a Facebook post. “Officers have gathered intelligence regarding the date, time, location, expected attendance, and other conditions to prepare an appropriate response.”

The police department said dozens of additional officers will be deployed to ensure public safety in addition to the 70+ Jacksonville Beach Police officers already working Saturday and Sunday. The agency added that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Neptune Beach Police Department and Atlantic Beach Police Department will be offering support.

“The department will take a zero-tolerance approach toward violence, illegal firearms possession, illegal drugs, and gang-related activity,” JBPD’s post states. 

Two recent teen takeover events on the First Coast have ended in shootings.

On Valentine’s Day at The Avenues mall in Jacksonville, gunfire erupted during a large gathering of teens in the parking lot.

Officers responded and combed the parking lot, as well as the mall, for potential suspects, victims and witnesses.

The sheriff’s office said officers did not find anyone who was shot, however, one vehicle was struck by bullets.

Then, a week later on Feb. 21, Jacksonville Beach Police said five people, ages ranging from 15 to 18, were injured in a shooting during a takeover event in the area of Beach Boulevard and 2nd Street at the beach. The victims reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Throughout the evening, police said a total of five guns were located: two were taken from suspects earlier in the day before shots were fired, and the other three were found discarded at the scene.

Police Chief Gene Paul Smith said the following on JBPD’s Facebook post Friday:

“Our department has taken a proactive and aggressive approach to preparing for these gatherings, but incidents like these remain a national challenge. Despite this systematic, innovative, and aggressive approach to enforcement, we cannot guarantee (nor any other agency) that a violent incident will not occur. That is why takeovers are a national problem. The shooting on February 21st is an example of how unpredictable these situations can be. We had 6 to 8 officers and two marked cars within 50 feet when the shooting started. We could have had 200 officers out that night and it still would have made no difference. When people live in a free society with constitutional safeguards and you have members of that society that have no regard for life, no fear of consequences, have no respect for anyone or anything, and are intent on committing a violent crime, it is presumptuous to believe that law enforcement can or could do anything to stop people with these intentions. We cannot do what society, and their parents should have been doing to them their whole lives.”

JBPD said its officers on Saturday will be on scene before crowds arrive and will utilize coordinated deployment strategies that combine personnel, technology and crowd-management tactics.