CLEARWATER, Fla. — Clearwater Police are investigating a shooting that happened at Clearwater Beach Sunday evening just off of Coronado Drive near Pier 60.
Police say a planned “teen takeover” erupted into violence.
A 17-year-old was injured and taken to the hospital.
After the shooting, police say several fights broke out in the area.
According to Clearwater PD, there were hundreds of teens at the beach. Many disturbances, including some fights, happened near Pier 60, just off Coronado Drive, just after 5 p.m.
Teen takeovers have been happening across the country, but Deputy Police Chief Michael Walek says this behavior won’t be tolerated.
“This is the first weekend of summer at Clearwater Beach,” said Walek. “I want to set a very, very clear to anyone who plans to come here and plans to engage in the kind of behavior we saw this evening. Don’t do it. If you do, your trip to the beach will end up with a trip to jail.”
He also went on to say that this was the first weekend of school being out and that this would be the last weekend that this type of behavior happens.
Police say they have several people in custody and are questioning them about the shooting.
We have seen other “teen takeovers” here in the Bay Area and Central Florida.
Back on May 8th, Tampa police arrested 22 teens after a takeover at Curtis Hixon Park.
Another one happened at Icon Park in Orlando back in late April. Two deputies were injured while trying to break up fights. Nine teens between the ages of 13 – 16 were arrested.
Map of the Clearwater Beach area: