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The City of Miami Beach is declaring a state of emergency following two spring break-related shootings. Five people were hospitalized.
Mayor Dan Gelber and City Commissioners, City Manager Alina T. Hudak, and Police Chief Richard Clements will host a press conference at City Hall to announce the declaration of a state of emergency and specific measures related to crowd control during the spring break period.
Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez says this violence is exactly what he feared when he sponsored a spring break 2:00 a.m. alcohol cutoff in the district. His ordinance which would have rolled back the last call for alcohol from 5:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. during spring break was overturned by a judge.
Derrick Mitchell was arrested this morning after he says he opened fire in the crowd only after someone else shot at him first. The primary shooter remains on the run.
Fernandez says four Miami Beach police officers were also hurt this weekend.