A teenager pulled a gun during a fight on a packed Florida beach in the midst of spring break this week and then ran through the crowd with the weapon in his hand.
“He’s got a gun. He’s got a gun,” people shouted as they ran in different directions on New Smyrna Beach on Thursday. A deputy from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office quickly intervened and barked orders at the gunman.
“Drop the f—–g gun. Drop the f—–g gun,” the deputy screamed at the suspect, who is seen in bodycam footage running from the officer.
The deputy chased him through New Smyrna Beach while still ordering him to drop the gun, as other law enforcement officers joined the foot pursuit and pushed back hordes of spring breakers.
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A teenager points a gun at spring breakers on a crowded beach in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. (Volusia Sheriff’s Office)
The gunman – later identified as 16-year-old Felixander Solis-Guzman – ran into the water about knee-deep, where he stood for several minutes.
Bodycam footage shows law enforcement officers with their guns drawn, lined up along the beach.
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Guzman finally dropped the gun in the water, and officers closed around him, but the deputy yelled for them to back up in case he had another weapon.
When backup arrived, and officers took cover behind open police car doors until the tense, five-minute standoff came to an end.
The gunman takes off, still holding the weapon in his right hand, as he runs through crowds of people and into the shallow end of the water. (Volusia Sheriff’s Office)
Volusia Sheriff’s Office surrounded the suspect, who was about knee-deep in the water, where police said he allegedly tried to ditch the gun and 20 small plastic bags of marijuana. (Volusia Sheriff’s Office)
Solis-Guzman complied with police officers’ orders and surrendered with his hands up. He was arrested without further incident.
Deputies found the gun and a bag with 20 small plastic baggies of marijuana, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
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Behind the police, bodycam footage caught a glimpse of the large crowd soaking in the sun in New Smyrna Beach, a coastal Florida city about 15 miles south of Daytona Beach, a popular spring break destination.
The beach was crowded when the suspect brandished the gun. Officers constantly yelled to clear the beach and forced the bystanders back as they arrested the suspect. (Volusia Sheriff’s Office)
Solis-Guzman was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a person under 18, improper exhibition of a firearm, commission of a second-degree felony with a weapon, resistant law enforcement, two counts of tampering with evidence and sale of marijuana.
The teenager also had seven active no-bond warrants out of Orange County, including robbery with a firearm and violating his probation.
WATCH FULL VIDEO OF CHASE AND STANDOFF
Spring Break ’24 is like no other
Spring break in general has always been a hot-button topic in Florida, especially in Miami Beach and South Florida, which have seared visitors in more than 100-degree heat over the last two weeks.
Even before the annual bash began, officials in Miami Beach “broke up” with spring break, which the New York Post called a “bust” after week one because the crowds were virtually nonexistent.
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That’s exactly what the mayor and city police wanted when they imposed draconian guidelines following last year’s mayhem, when two people were fatally shot, and police made 500 arrests (including 230 felony arrests) and seized 105 guns.
The party moved up the coast to Fort Lauderdale, which was busier than usual for the first weekend, but officials told Fox News Digital that it had been a “successful” first weekend.
Spring break party seekers took Fort Lauderdale’s welcome message as crowds flocked to the beach. (US Sun/Mega)
Beach boxing with a “ref” and cheering fans was part of spring break’s first week of action. (US Sun/Mega)
The real test starts this weekend, which also happens to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day, a popular party day.
“Our spring break crowds have been as expected so far this year, with this week being the busiest week we are anticipating,” Casey Liening, spokesperson for the Fort Lauderdale police, told Fox News Digital earlier this week. “We have not had any major issues or disturbances.”
The second and third weeks of March are historically the busiest spring break times and attract the largest crowds.
A pair of spring breakers pose along the shoreline on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Large crowds are expected to descend on Fort Lauderdale throughout March, as Miami Beach enacts widespread restrictions cracking down on any unruly behavior. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)
Crowds enjoyed spring break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in March 2024. Harsher restrictions in Miami Beach have forced visitors further north in Florida for their holidays. (US Sun/Mega)
State’s ‘unprecedented’ pre-emptive strike
Gov. Ron DeSantis said last week that over 140 state troopers, along with various other state resources, had been dispatched to South Florida as part of an “unprecedented” pre-emptive strike against spring break crime.
The plan is to send 60 state troopers to reinforce communities throughout South Florida, with a high concentration in Miami Beach, according to the governor.
Sixty more state troopers will mobilize in additional hot spots like Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach, and 24 quick-response troopers will be deployed in Bay, Volusia, Broward and Miami-Dade counties for immediate incidents.
Spring Breakers participate in a game of football wrestling on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Large crowds are expected to descend on Fort Lauderdale throughout March, as Miami Beach enacts widespread restrictions cracking down on any unruly behavior. (AJ Skuy for Fox News Digital)
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“This is really unprecedented,” DeSantis said during a March 5 press conference. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen the state come in this forward-leaning going into a season like this.”
“With all things considered, I think that we’re good and prepared as we’ve ever been throughout my time in the state of Florida,” he said.
Fox News Digital’s Emmett Jones contributed to this report.
