JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The Jacksonville Beach Police Department responded to 765 calls for service during the busy Memorial Day weekend, resulting in 15 arrests for numerous incidents.
A 16-year-old was hospitalized after a shooting Monday night, according to police.
Around 9 p.m., officers responded to the 300 block of Third Street North in reference to an individual in need of assistance.
When officers arrived, they found a 16-year-old suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg.
Employees of Biggie's Pizza noticed the victim before police arrived.
“I came in at 9, was expecting a busy crowd since it was Memorial Day," said Biggie's Pizza employee Ian Zalewa. "There was a guy who came running up the alley, sat in the chair outside, was bleeding and just said, ‘I got shot.’”
Zalewa spent the first 15 minutes of his workday at Biggie’s in Jacksonville Beach selling pizza, then the next five hours alongside police investigating the shooting.
“Just came right out of the blue," said Zalewa. "You never expect these things to happen.”
Zalewa and his manager tried to help while they waited for police.
“Our manager, Steve, got a belt, wrapped a tourniquet around his leg and waited for firefighters," said Zalewa. "Maybe 10 seconds later, six cops came in, a bunch of firefighters came, evacuated the area.”
The teen was taken to the hospital for treatment, police said.
The victim told police the shooting happened in the 100 block of Second Avenue North.
Police did not provide any additional suspect information or if anyone was arrested.
In a separate incident, a 12-year-old and 17-year-old were arrested on gun possession charges Monday night. The 12-year-old also faces an aggravated battery charge, according to police.
At 11 p.m., a witness reported that a group of four people had displayed a firearm at her "in an aggressive manner" while she was walking near the 500 block of the beach near the pier.
Officers responded and detained the group. Ultimately, two minors were arrested.
The 12-year-old was arrested and faces charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a minor. The 17-year-old faces a charge of possession of a firearm by a minor.
The Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue also responded to five missing children calls on Sunday and had several more on Memorial Day.