UPDATE 05/30: In a press release this morning, the Jacksonville Beach Police Department has issued an update on the fights that occurred on Monday:
On May 27, 2013, at approximately 7:18 hours, officers arrived in the area around the 500 Block of the SeaWalk and found numerous subjects involved in a fight in the dunes. Upon seeing the police, numerous subjects fled the area southbound. It appears the subjects went to the Latham Plaza area and began another fight. An officer was in the area around the boardwalk and observed this incident breaking up. She did not observe the direct attack on the one individual. She immediately called dispatch in reference to the fight. Officers worked diligently to secure the areas around the downtown area and ensure public safety. Several minutes later another call was received by one of the victim’s mother stating she needed rescue for her son at McDonald’s. She advised that she was not on scene but did know that her son needed rescue. Rescue personnel and police were dispatched to McDonald’s and arrived in approximately 3 minutes. When they arrived, they were unable to locate the reported injured person. Approximately an hour after the original incident occurred, our agency received a call from an employee at Memorial Hospital ER. The call was in reference to two subjects who sought medical attention at their facility and claimed they were assaulted at the Pier in Jacksonville Beach. The injuries were classified as non-life threatening and an officer was dispatched to their location. The officer was able to obtain the basic information necessary to complete a report, but met with some reluctance from the subjects involved. A report was taken and detectives were assigned to the case. When investigators began working the case the next day they did not receive cooperation from the victim’s, this made any follow-up or progress in the investigation very slow. After much urging by police, two victims in the case have agreed to cooperate with the investigation. At this time, the victims have been interviewed by investigators. This is an ongoing investigation and we ask anyone with information that may help identify any of the subjects involved to please contact our agency. Anyone with information on the fights can contact the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at (904) 270-1667. To remain anonymous and receive a possible cash reward, call Crime Stoppers at (866) 845-8477 (TIPS)
Our coverage from earlier this week follows:
More video appearing to show the start of the Memorial Day brawl at Jacksonville Beach has surfaced on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX24ZeFUrek
The original video was a shaky cell phone video, showing several individuals savagely attacking each other at the Sea Walk Pavilion. One man is seen stomping on the neck and back of another while families flee the scene.
New video posted yesterday claims to show how the fight started, amid the sand dunes prior to the larger fight scene in the adjacent pavilion. The new video appears to show the man in orange being stomped on from the first video, walking away from the dune fight towards the pavilion.
The brawl has residents calling for action from city leaders.
The Pier Cantina and Sandbar, a restaurant just steps from where the fight erupted, posted apologies for having to close early. The post has 254 comments of citizens appalled by the incident.
Citizens are gathering at Jacksonville Beach City Hall next Monday at 6:30 p.m. to express their concerns about the incident.
No arrests have been made and the investigation is still pending – leaving many concerned for what this means for celebrations on the 4th of July.