South Beach Officials Look To End “Urban Beach Weekend”
Following a deadly shooting in Miami this past Memorial Day weekend, South Beach officials are looking to put an end to “Urban Beach Weekend.”
The shooting, which happened early Monday morning, made national headlines and left one man dead, three police officers hurt and four bystanders injured.
A man driving a car that stuck a police office was shot and killed by police, after a three block chase down Collins Avenue on South Beach.
No weapons were found in the car or on the victim, but South Beach Police chief Carlos Noriega said during a press conference yesterday that there may have been other passengers who fired at police, then escaped the vehicle.
Noriega also stated that police may have been responsible for shooting and injuring the four innocent bystanders during the incident.
Urban Beach Weekend has taken place in Miami during Memorial Day weekend since 2001, drawing anywhere from 200,000 to 300,000 tourists each year, but over the years has been marred with violence, alleged police racial profiling, hundreds of arrests and four fatal shootings.
This year’s police shooting may be the tipping point.
“I think we need to take back the city for the residents,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Jerry Libbin during the press conference. “It’s just not right that people live in fear.”
Officials are looking to enforce a curfew for the holiday weekend and replace “Urban Beach Weekend” with a more family oriented Jazz festival.
A video of the police shooting was filmed and released on the internet. Watch it here:
