JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — As thousands of people flock to Jacksonville Beach for the July 4th weekend, city leaders are encouraging people to celebrate safely.
“We want it to be as safe as possible,” says Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman. “That’s our number one priority for the 4th of July.”
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In February, four people were shot during a teen takeover event in Jax Beach. Since then, there have been several takeover events announced, but they’ve been shut down by police before they even started.
In 2024, a deadly triple shooting took place in Jax Beach on St. Patrick’s Day.
We asked locals if they are concerned about safety in Jax Beach going into the holiday weekend.
“I am,” said Drew Warrick. “In the past years, it’s been a little crazy. You see a lot of the takeovers have been happening.”
“I do feel like Jax Beach is safe,” said Justin Manny, who grew up in Jacksonville. “I come out here every time I can.”
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Mayor Hoffman says they are prepared to keep people safe.
“Fourth of July is a full activation for our police department,” said Mayor Hoffman. “It’s all hands on deck for us as it is every year.”
We asked the Mayor what her message is to people who may not feel safe coming to the beaches because of the recent violence.
“Unfortunately, you know there’s been some events that we’ve seen nationwide. It’s not just Jacksonville Beach,” she said. “You will see an active police presence as we have down here every year. And we will continue to monitor the crowded areas, the beaches, the coastline to make sure that everyone has a safe and happy time while they’re out here.”
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Mayor Hoffman says that right now they do not have any indication that a takeover event is planned for the Fourth of July.
The fireworks show is set to begin at 9 pm from the Jacksonville Beach Pier.
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