Thanks to Spring Breakers, Miami Beach Declares Emergency

For the second year in a row, Miami Beach is instituting a curfew in response to spring break violence. Five people were injured in two shootings over the weekend while four of 371 police officers tasked with patrolling the crowds were injured in "a pair of accidents involving golf carts," per the Miami Herald. Nine officers have now been hurt since the spring break season began in February, per CNN. "Officers are EXHAUSTED. The party needs to end," the Miami Beach Fraternal Order of Police tweeted Sunday, demanding that city officials "take immediate and firm action to ensure the safety of officers and residents." On Monday, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber announced a curfew would be in effect Thursday to Saturday from 12:01am to 6am.

"Over the last two nights, five innocent people were shot in our streets," Gelber said at a press conference, per the Herald. Two women suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a shooting in the 700 block of Ocean Drive around 1am Monday. Two people were taken into custody, per CNN. Roughly 24 hours earlier, three others suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a shooting in the 800 block of Ocean Drive. A police rep said detectives were still working to determine what occurred. But Gelber didn't have much patience. "Our city is well past its end point. What we are watching and what we are feeling and what we are observing is simply unacceptable at every level," he said, per CNN.

City Manager Alina Hudek, who signed a 72-hour public emergency order, said she would go to the city commission on Tuesday to request that it extend the curfew to Monday and institute it again the following weekend. "There are cowards out there toting guns," she said, per the Herald. The Fraternal Order of Police also shared a video of hundreds of spring breakers surrounding officers on golf carts to emphasize the danger. During the curfew, police said they would limit access to South Beach to non-residents and those without business in the area. A city-organized spring break concert, Miami Beach Live, scheduled for Saturday night, has been postponed. (More Miami Beach stories.)