For the third year in a row, Miami Beach officials have imposed a state of emergency and overnight curfew beginning Sunday night after two fatal shootings occurred during spring break festivities this weekend.
Miami Beach mayor Dan Gelber said the two shootings were unrelated and were “caused by visitors” and that “even an unprecedented police presence couldn’t prevent these incidents from occurring.”
The Friday night shooting happened near 7th street and Ocean Drive where two men were found with gunshot wounds. Both men were sent to Jackson Memorial Hospital with one succumbing to his injuries and the other left in critical condition. According to Miami Beach police, the suspect has been taken into custody and three guns were found at the scene.
The latest shooting occurred at about 3:30 am Sunday on Ocean Drive in South Beach. An unidentified man was shot and died later at a hospital, according to Miami Beach Police on Twitter. The suspect was detained, but no charges have been released.
The mayor said the presence of numerous firearms and massive crowds “has created a peril that cannot go unchecked”. Over the last three weeks, the city has impounded over 70 firearms.
The city said in a news release that the curfew would be from 11:59 pm Sunday until 6 pm Monday. A meeting will be held Monday to discuss the possibility of implementing an additional curfew from Thursday through next Monday, March 27. Additionally, the sale and distribution of alcohol for off-premises consumption will be prohibited in the curfew area after 6 pm on Sunday.
The curfew mainly affects South Beach, the most popular party location for spring breakers.
“We don’t want spring break here… but they keep coming,” Gelber said at a news conference last year. “People keep coming here in large numbers, such large numbers that it creates an almost impossible situation for our police.”
In 2021, the city imposed a similar curfew. Roughly 1,000 people were arrested and the city impounded nearly 100 firearms. Last year, a curfew was put in place after shootings left five people wounded. Essential services and food delivery will be allowed Sunday after curfew hours, but businesses must allow their guests enough time to leave before curfew. According to NBC, the city has warned that anyone who violates the curfew may risk arrest and criminal charges.
