JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — A photo reportedly posted on the Orange Crush Instagram page showing people holding guns has been deleted after police responded to gunshots in Jacksonville Beach Saturday night.
The man seen in the middle of the photo appears to be the same person in a previous post who welcomed people into Jacksonville for the event and encouraged them to be safe.
Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman confirmed that officers responded to reported gunshots around 9 p.m.
“Yes, officers responded but could not find any evidence," she said. "To our knowledge, no one was injured.”
First Coast News reached out to organizers of the event about the photo. The Public Relations Manager for the festival, Reggie Legend Adams, says he did not know about the photo and is looking into who posted it and why it was deleted.
Legend says he too heard noises that sounded like gunshots while walking to his car in Jacksonville Beach but he thought it was a firework.
At this time there is no known connection between the photo and the reported gunshots.
A Ring doorbell camera in Jacksonville Beach captured the noises camera around the same time.
Mark McCrary says he and his family were outside his home which is close to Oceanfront Park.
In the video, you can hear several very distinct pops, followed by a pause, and then more. McCrary is heard in the video ushering his family inside.
Hoffman says only minor disturbances took place during the Orange Crush Festival and that police expect to have a full report published shortly regarding the number of arrests and related incidents.
First Coast News will bring you that information once it becomes available.
Hoffman said most of the attendees have been respectful but that her issue was with the lack of communication from the event organizers.