A chaotic scene unfolded in Long Beach on Long Island, New York, Thursday evening when over 2,000 teenagers gathered for what police identified as a “senior skip day.” The massive gathering, which quickly spiraled out of control, resulted in at least one person being shot.
According to a witness who spoke to FOX 5, the situation escalated rapidly: “Next thing you hear is one shot go off, then you hear several more go off,” the witness recounted. “All we see is a flash, and we see a bunch of girls start running. All we see is a couple people tripping.” The witness and another individual sought refuge in a nearby laundromat to escape the chaos.
Long Beach Police, overwhelmed by the sheer number of teens, called in reinforcements from the Nassau County Police Department to help regain control. A mother at the scene expressed her relief at finding her son unharmed: “My son asked me to come here and get him,” she told FOX 5 from her car. “There was a shooting. He couldn’t get on the train. When I came, I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ I was just happy that he was safe.”
NEW: Shooting breaks out after 2,000 teens skip school and swarm Nassau County beach in Long Beach, Long Island.
Teens were seen fighting, dancing on cop cars and eventually shooting someone after they skipped school for “senior skip day.”
Hundreds of people were seen… pic.twitter.com/pswfmqJ5fx
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 14, 2024
Authorities reported that two individuals were taken into custody following the incident. A Long Beach Police officer provided details to FOX 5, stating, “Earlier today there was a large group of youth on our beach, upwards of over 2,000. The group was dispersed by the Long Beach Police Department with the help of the Nassau County Police Department. Segments of the group got into the area of Edwards Boulevard and Park Avenue and the individual was shot. That individual was taken to the hospital and is being treated.”
The police confirmed that the shooting victim is a male, described as a “young adult,” but did not provide further details on his age or condition. The officer speculated that the gathering might have been organized through social media, as it included students from multiple schools.
Amid the pandemonium, a woman was seen twerking on top of a Nassau County Police vehicle, as captured in a video obtained by the New York Post, adding to the disorderly atmosphere of the evening.
