Florida St Patrick’s Day celebrations turn deadly as one killed and three wounded in three separate shootings

Authorities said in a news conference on Monday that three separate shootings took place on Sunday in the bar district of Jacksonville Beach, which hosts many nightlife venues.

Three people were injured during the violence, and one person is deceased after the incidents, Chief Gene Paul Smith from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department said during the conference.

Mayor Christine Hoffman said the shootings were “extremely tragic and unfortunate” and praised local businesses and law enforcement who acted together while the area was filled with those celebrating St Patrick’s Day and people on spring break.

“There were several different incidents that were, at this time, seems to be potentially unrelated,” she told local reporters. “So we want to know as much as we can find out.”

Authorities put the area on a temporary lockdown on Sunday evening, asking people to shelter in place as police rushed to the scene of the active shooter incident, but lifted the order just before 11pm.

A woman who works as an Uber driver told News4JAX she was driving around customers in the Jacksonville Beach area when they heard gunshots and saw a crowd of people running near the Sneakers Sports Grille bar.

“It’s been crazy. I’ve been coming in and out trying to pick people up just to make sure they’re safe,” the woman told the outlet.

“I just want to make sure people are OK. Everybody’s very scared.”