Florida police are searching for three gunmen in connection to a Memorial Day shooting at Hollywood Beach Broadwalk that injured nine people, including a 1-year-old.
The search for the three suspects launched Tuesday and two others were arrested on firearms charges, Hollywood police said. Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspects, who reportedly ran from the scene after the shooting sent hundreds of people frantically running for cover.
Authorities confirmed to USA TODAY that three adults injured in the shooting have been treated and released, and that six people remain in stable condition at Memorial Regional Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
The gunfire erupted Monday shortly before 7 p.m. and injured six adults and three children, authorities said. Hollywood Police Department spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi said four children between the ages of 1 and 17 were hit, along with five adults between 25 and 65.
Police and witnesses said the shooting stemmed from an altercation between two groups of people in front of shops on the Hollywood Oceanfront Broadwalk.
In a statement Tuesday morning, Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy thanked first responders for their work.
Hollywood Police have “dozens of officers assigned to the beach on busy holiday weekends and that allowed for an immediate response that resulted in multiple persons detained for this incident,” Levy said in the statement posted to Facebook.
Who are the suspects in the Hollywood Beach, Florida, shooting?
Morgan Deslouches and Keshawn Stewart, both 18, were involved in the altercation that led to the shooting, police said. Both have been arrested on firearms charges.
Police also said five handguns were recovered, with one of them reported stolen in the Miami area and another in Texas.
Authorities have not yet offered specific details about the shooting suspects detained, or what might have sparked the confrontation.
In his statement, Levy said the shooting was between two groups from outside the city, and a witness told the Associated Press that several young men were fighting outside a store when one of them pulled out a gun.
“It is completely unacceptable that innocent people spending time with family on a holiday weekend have been affected by a shooting altercation between two groups who came into our city with guns and with no regard for the safety of the law abiding public around them,” Levy said. “Law enforcement agencies are fully engaged in their investigation, and I assure you that no stone will be left unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice. We will utilize every available resource to apprehend those responsible for these injuries.”
Where is Hollywood Beach?
Hollywood Beach is a popular beach destination about 11 miles south of Fort Lauderdale and 20 miles north of Miami. It features a long pedestrian boardwalk-style promenade lined with palm trees along Florida’s Atlantic Coast.
Contributing: Associated Press
