Spring Break/Invade Daytona briefing: 3/16/26

VSO deputies made 133 arrests in Spring Break crowds this weekend: 84 in the Daytona Beach area and 49 in New Smyrna Beach. Sheriff Mike Chitwood briefed the media today on concerns about Spring Break crowds. There were no shootings on the beach this weekend. Widespread videos posted online this weekend falsely claimed crowds were running from shots fired. These videos were also picked up by news media. In reality, the panic started due to the sound of crushed water bottles or in some cases, people running from the tides. Off the beach, the Daytona Beach Police Department has released information on 4 shooting investigations currently underway from this weekend: • 308 Seabreeze Ave. (report of 1 shot fired in club, no one hit) • 244 N. Nova Road (18-year-old male from Gainesville shot, injured) • Kingston/Flanders Ave. (59-year-old Daytona Beach male shot, injured) • 2 S. Atlantic Ave. (19-year-old female from Atlanta shot, injured) In addition to Spring Break crowds in the Daytona and New Smyrna Beach areas, this weekend deputies handled crowds of about 2,000 people at the Hands Up Guns Down event at the Volusia County Fairgrounds and Big Daddy's Block Party in the Spring Hill area of DeLand, which both concluded safely. Also unrelated, a South Daytona police officer was shot by a fleeing suspect on I-95, and a Port Orange police officer was fired on while responding to a disturbance call. The Sheriff's Office is aware of upcoming Spring Break/Invade Daytona events being promoted on social media and is working with city government and law enforcement partners to address concerns. More information will be posted soon.