The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the incident violated the city’s local curfew ordinance.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office dispersed a crowd of hundreds of minors who had gathered for a “planned takeover event,” resulting in one person being arrested for possessing a gun near the city’s Friendship Fountain on Saturday night.
Police said the group consisted of roughly 600 to 700 minors, with some engaging in “problematic behavior.”
The JSO reported becoming aware of several planned “takeover” events through social media, noting that organizers employed various locations “in an attempt to be deceptive.” In advance of the event, JSO issued warnings to both the organizers and their parents, urging them to refrain from hosting the unpermitted event.
According to police, officers eventually managed to disperse the crowd, which was becoming “larger and more unruly” as it approached 10 p.m., the closing time for the Friendship Fountain. Police noted that some individuals were engaging in drug use, fighting, and even pepper-spraying one another.
As officers were attempting to disperse the crowd, police said a group of officers noticed a minor “reaching for his backpack.” Police said the minor fled the scene but was apprehended a short time later. The minor was arrested after police said officers located a firearm inside the backpack.
JSO said officers blocked nearby roads, including access to the Main Street Bridge, in an attempt to prevent the group from relocating.
“We encourage all parents and guardians to speak with their children about safe and responsible activities,” JSO wrote on social media of the event. “These takeover-style gatherings are not only illegal, but they can also be extremely dangerous.”
JSO pointed to the city’s curfew ordinance, which requires parents or legal guardians to know the whereabouts and activities of their children under 18, and said the agency will continue to enforce local curfews to ensure public safety.
Under Jacksonville’s curfew, minors under the age of 18 cannot be out in public after 11 p.m. on weeknights or after midnight on weekends unless accompanied by an adult or participating in a permitted activity, including work.
Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith responded to the incident on social media, saying these “teen takeovers” often escalate to violence and destruction of property.
“A few weeks ago, it was occurring at the Orange Park Mall, this week it was at Friendship Fountain in downtown Jacksonville, and these events are regularly occurring throughout the country,” Smith wrote in a statement posted to Facebook. “We still must abide by constitutional protections for the juveniles involved, but in Florida we take decisive action ASAP.”
Hours before the so-called “takeover,” there was a planned “silent disco” event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Friendship Fountain, which offered free headphones to minors 17 and under. The event is scheduled for the last Saturday of every month and is promoted by the city’s park, recreation and community services department.
