Surf, sand, and semiautomatic weapons.
Florida officials seized a staggering 75 guns from rampaging partiers in a spring break beach town this past weekend alone — calling it enough firepower to “arm a small army.”
“What we saw this past weekend is absolutely unacceptable,” Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said Monday.
“The behavior of these pathetic cowards that came to our beach and committed these crimes, their actions will not be tolerated.”
The surging weekend chaos culminated in the non-fatal shooting of an Alabama man in Panama City Beach on Sunday. Javonte Sanders, 22, was busted in relation to the shooting.
Authorities have been struggling to contain spiraling spring break revelry in several Florida areas including Miami Beach.
Police seized 75 guns from spring breakers partying in Panama City Beach, Florida this weekend.REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Following a pair of shootings last weekend, Miami Beach’s Democratic mayor Dan Gelber imposed both a state of emergency and curfew for the South Beach area from 12:01 a.m. last Thursday to 6 a.m. Monday.
Panama Beach cops displayed an array of confiscated firearms Monday and reported 161 arrests over the weekend.
“These guns were taken over a period of two days,” Talamantez said. “It could arm a small army. Semiautomatic weapons, long rifles, these are weapons brought to a resort destination. These are weapons brought to a beach.”
Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said it was enought weapons to “arm a small army.”Courtesy of Panama City Beach Po
Employees at a local Walmart ducked for cover after a mob stormed through the aisles, destroying merchandise and causing “total destruction,” officials said.
Talamantez and other Panama City officials said the troublemakers were taking part in an event called “Panamaniac” that was being orchestrated by specific influencers online.
“This isn’t what we want coming to our city,” said Panama City Police Chief Mark Smith. “We want the spring breakers, we want the tourists. We don’t want this element.”