JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The police perimeter for Sunday's shootings in Jacksonville Beach took up several blocks of downtown, forcing many businesses to close up early.
Mayor Chris Hoffman applauded the businesses that took immediate action, locking doors and getting customers to the safest spaces they could inside.
Management at the Oaxaca Club was relieved to be back to normal operations Monday.
“This is something that, you know, could happen anywhere," said Oaxaca Club Operations Partner Eddy Escriba.
Escriba was hoping the priority for the business’s one year anniversary this week would be to do some great business with the Players wrapping up, St. Patrick’s Day and spring break all colliding.
Those priorities drastically shifted when shots rang out in three different locations in every direction from the restaurant.
“They still had at least a good five hours of people leaving TPC, coming to the venues to spend some more money, but I think that all businesses were responsible to say, ‘This is not a good situation, let’s shut the doors,'" said Escriba.
Mayor Chris Hoffman said the businesses played a role in making sure visitors felt as safe as possible.
“We have a lot of great businesses and I want to thank them, all of them, so much, for helping to make sure their patrons were safe and protected," said Hoffman. "Some of them sheltered in place and there was a lot of communication going on.”
Escriba says that communication followed into the next day, as several people emailed the restaurant to say thank you.
“People came in running through the streets," said Escriba. "We welcomed them in. There were three young females, who came in in tears, I think people were just trying to find refuge.”
Escriba is hoping the incident on such a busy night doesn’t set the tone for the upcoming season.
“Certainly we don’t want this incident to prevent people from coming and enjoying the beautiful beaches," said Escriba.