JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More details are coming out about the multiple arrests made by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office during a “Senior Skip Day” event at Jacksonville Beach last Friday.
Multiple teens were arrested on weapons charges after attendees of the unofficial event flooded Jacksonville Beach, and newly released police reports detail three separate incidents involving 18- and 19-year-olds found with firearms.
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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office had positioned officers at the beach that day as part of a violent reduction strategy alongside beach police. Authorities say they were already aware of the planned teen takeover before it began.
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Traffic stop leads to guns, photos
At 2:20 p.m., reports state that officers pulled over a silver BMW for illegal window tint. According to the report, the tint measured 2% — well below the state minimum of 28%.
The 19-year-old driver gave police consent to search the car, which led to officers finding two handguns hidden under clothing in the trunk, one of which had a laser light attachment.
The driver was not alone, as two others were also in the vehicle. The 19-year-old acknowledged he was aware of the guns and admitted to handling both weapons.
Officers also received consent to search his phone, where they found multiple photos of the driver and passengers holding the guns.
He was arrested on a charge of possession of a weapon by an adult felon.
AR pistol hidden at second stop
Police reports say that a second traffic stop occurred at 4:53 p.m. when officers pulled over a white SUV for dark window tint and the smell of marijuana.
According to the police report, an 18-year-old passenger appeared to be trying to conceal a weapon with his body. Officers recovered a black AR pistol. The report notes the teen’s hands and voice were shaking during the stop.
The driver told police the gun belonged to his cousin — the 18-year-old passenger — and that the cousin had brought it, though he did not know why. The 18-year-old told officers the gun belonged to his stepbrother, who was not present, and that he had been carrying it while on the beach.
He also acknowledged to police that, at 18, he was too young to legally carry a concealed weapon. He was arrested on a charge of possession of a firearm. The other occupants were released.
Waistband weapon spotted at night
Shortly before 9:42 p.m., officers stopped a large group that was walking against a traffic signal. During the stop, police observed a visible bulge in the front waistband of an 18-year-old.
When asked, the teen told officers he was 18 years old. An officer patted him down and felt the magazine of a firearm. He was detained on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.