Shooting in coastal Florida city leaves 9 wounded, including 4 minors

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Nine people, including four minors, were wounded in gun violence on a crowded boardwalk of a coastal Florida city late Monday, the US Memorial Day holiday.

According to a report by USA Today, the shooting took place in the city of Hollywood, which lies between the resort cities of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and the nine victims were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The four minors who were shot range between 1 and 17 years of age, alongside five adults age 25-65, and all victims but one who underwent surgery are stable, Hollywood Police Department spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi told a press conference.

According to Bettineschi, the shooting arose out of “an altercation between two groups.” Police so far have detained one person of interest and they continue the manhunt for more suspects, she said.

The police will leave “no stone unturned” in the investigation, Hollywood Police Chief Chris O’Brien.

O’Brien also called the shooting a “senseless act of gun violence.”

“It’s unfortunate when we have law-abiding citizens come to our beach to enjoy the day and that gets disrupted by a group of criminals who engage in this type of violent activity,” he said.

The shooting comes amid growing concerns over mass shootings in the US, with gun violence already the leading cause of death among young people.

This April, Florida Governor and Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis approved a law allowing people to carry concealed firearms anywhere in the state without a permit.