Law enforcement officers investigate the scene where five people were shot at the beach in Port Aransas on the evening of Saturday, March 14. (South Jetty staff photo © 2026 by Dan Parker.)
Dan Parker
Editor and co-publisher
Five people were injured in a shooting incident on the beach in Port Aransas late on the night of Saturday, March 14, police said.
The incident occurred shortly before midnight near Marker 20.
The shooting “appears to have stemmed from an altercation that occurred,” said James Stokes, chief of the Port Aransas Police Department.
“We do have some suspects detained right now for questioning,” Stokes said in an interview with the South Jetty about an hour after the shooting.
All of the victims were taken by ambulance to hospitals, Stokes said. At least two were believed to be in critical condition.
Dozens of first responders descended upon the shooting scene to aid the injured and begin an investigation.
In addition to interviewing potential witnesses, officers were seen using metal detectors, apparently in an effort to find bullet casings.
A new drone recently purchased by the Port Aransas Police Department was used to get an aerial view of the crime scene and map the area out.
The gunfire came at the peak of the Spring Break period that has brought tens of thousands of visitors to Port Aransas. The beach was crowded with revelers Saturday night.
The shooting was only one of many incidents that police handled that night and during the early-morning hours of Sunday, Mach 15. At least three major car accidents occurred on State Highway 361 during the evening. Conditions of the victims couldn’t immediately be determined.