Teen shot during wild takeover at busy beach
A chaotic event at a Florida beach, organized via social media as a “teen takeover,” has left a 17-year-old hospitalized with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The incident, reported by Mads Frazier via Storyful, unfolded in a tumultuous fashion.
In a separate tragic incident at the same beach, a toll booth attendant lost her life when a pickup truck crashed into the booth before becoming mired in the sand. The unfortunate event occurred at approximately 12:40 p.m. on Monday at the Dunlawton Avenue beach access point in Daytona Beach Shores, as confirmed by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
The victim, identified as Tammy Jo Baker, was nearing her 63rd birthday. Sheriff Mike Chitwood, speaking at the scene, revealed that Baker was a cherished employee who had recently transitioned to working for the beach parking contractor after many years with Volusia County.
The sheriff noted that the vehicle was traveling at an estimated speed of 40 mph when it struck the toll booth, causing catastrophic damage. “It crushes the toll taker’s booth,” Sheriff Chitwood remarked.
Despite lifeguards’ immediate efforts to administer CPR, Baker was pronounced dead at the scene. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office shared images of the aftermath, showing the toll booth overturned and severely damaged.
