Hollywood Memorial Day mass shooting: Everything to know about Florida situation so far

A shooting between two groups left nine people injured Monday along a beach boardwalk in Hollywood, Florida, authorities said, sending people frantically running for cover along the crowded beach on Memorial Day.

Here is what we know so far about the Memorial Day altercation as of Tuesday, May 30:

What happened in Hollywood, Florida on Monday?

Police began receiving 911 calls at about 6:52 p.m. about shots firing among the packed beach, Hollywood Police Department spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi said during a Monday media briefing. Dozens of officers already were on duty in the area for the holiday.

"Officers immediately responded,” Bettineschi said. “They found the nine victims with gunshot wounds. They immediately rendered aid.”

Memorial Day shooting: 9 injured, including children, in Memorial Day shooting near beach in Hollywood, Florida; suspect detained

See photos from the aftermath: Shooting on Florida beach injures 9, including children. Beachgoers scramble for cover

Preliminary investigations revealed that an altercation between two groups "resulted in gunfire," causing chaos among the crowded stretch of beach.

Is anyone in custody?

According to reports, police are holding "multiple persons" in custody Tuesday.

Suspects in custody: 'Multiple persons' detained after 9 shot at Florida's Hollywood Beach: Updates

One suspect was already in custody on Monday evening and police announced they were searching for a second suspect, Bettineschi said in a briefing that evening.

HPD officials have not released the identity of any of the suspects or a motive as of yet.

Who are the victims?

Of the nine wounded, Bettineschi confirmed five are adults, ranging in age from 25 to 65. The other four wounded range in age from 1 to 17 years old. Their names have not yet been released.

The wounded were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. One person was in surgery, and the rest of the shooting victims are in stable condition, Bettineschi said.

The 1-year-old is among those listed in stable condition, she said.

What have Hollywood officials said about the shooting?

Following the shooting, Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy said he was “deeply saddened and angered” by the events within a statement.

“People come to enjoy a holiday weekend on the beach with their families, and to have people in complete reckless disregard of the safety of the public and to have an altercation with guns in a public setting with thousands of people around them is beyond reckless,” he said. “The Hollywood Police Department will leave no stone unturned. We do not appreciate when people come into our city with guns and have an altercation in the midst of a public setting here.”

Both Levy and Hollywood Police Chief Chris O’Brien vowed that the police would find and arrest those responsible for the shooting.

O’Brien called the shooting a “senseless act of gun violence” during a Monday briefing.

“It’s unfortunate when we have law-abiding citizens come to our beach to enjoy the day and that gets disrupted by a group of criminals who engage in this type of violent activity," he said.

Where is Hollywood, Florida?

Hollywood Beach, Florida, is about 20 miles north of Miami in Broward County. The beachfront community is about "30 square miles in size and is Broward’s third-largest municipality with a population of roughly 153,000 residents," according to the city's website.

Over the years, Hollywood Beach has made multiple "Top 10" lists of best beaches in Florida.

What does open-carry mean?

Last month, licensing requirements to carry a concealed firearm in most public places were eliminated after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis quietly signed HB 543. The law, which goes into effect July 1, made Florida the 26th state to not require a concealed weapons license.

"Open carry" basically means you can openly carry a weapon without any kind of concealment needed or any kind of regulation needed.

What is a mass shooting?

As defined by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a mass shoot, or active shooter incident, is an event in which one or more individuals are “actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Implicit in this definition is the shooter’s use of a firearm.”

While the FBI has not set a minimum number of casualties to qualify an event as a mass shooting, the U.S. statute (the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012) defines a “mass killing” as 3 or more killings in a single incident.

How many shootings have Florida had in 2023 so far?

As of May 30, there have been 15 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

What mass shootings have taken place: How many mass shootings have there been in Florida in 2023?

What should I do if I'm ever in a mass shooting event?

According to the Department of Homeland Security, active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Since they are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement arrives, DHS officials recommend that individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation.

The tips they encourage when in an active shooting situation are:

Evacuate - If there is an accessible escape path, attempt to evacuate the premises. Be sure to:• Have an escape route and plan in mind• Evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow• Leave your belongings behind• Help others escape, if possible• Prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be• Keep your hands visible• Follow the instructions of any police officers• Do not attempt to move wounded people• Call 911 when you are safe

Hideout - If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide where the active shooter is less likelyto find you. Your hiding place should:• Be out of the active shooter’s view• Provide protection if shots are fired in your direction (i.e., an office with a closedand locked door)• Not trap you or restrict your options for movementTo prevent an active shooter from entering your hiding place:• Lock the door• Blockade the door with heavy furnitureIf the active shooter is nearby:• Lock the door• Silence your cell phone• Turn off any source of noise • Hide behind large items• Remain quiet

If evacuation and hiding out are not possible:• Remain calm• Dial 911, if possible, to alert police to the active shooter’s location• If you cannot speak, leave the line open and allow the dispatcher to listen

Take action against the active shooter - As a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt todisrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter by:• Acting as aggressively as possible against him/her• Throwing items and improvising weapons• Yelling• Committing to your actions

Contributing: Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY Network-Florida

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Hollywood, Florida shooting leaves nine shot: What we know a day after