SIESTA KEY, Fla. — The Sarasota County Sherriff's Office is investigating a fight authorities say led to a shooting on Siesta Key, injuring a bystander.
Around 5 p.m. on Memorial Day, deputies were alerted to a shooting in the area of Avenida Messina and Avenida Navarra. It was a crowded beach day, and sheriff's office units were already in the area on an unrelated call.
Lt. Craig Fairly said, based on witness statements, it appears two groups of local teens were arguing – possibly from across the street from one another – when somebody fired a gun.
A woman, who was in the area to pick up her nephew, was grazed by a bullet. She was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to be OK.
"It's very dangerous," Lt. Fairly said of the shooting. "It's a populated area. It's the village. It's not like you're out in an open area. It's very highly concentrated with folks and businesses."
Roughly 15 law enforcement units rushed over to the scene. Authorities spoke to people at the nearby Circle K, who reported hearing gunshots from about a block away. The sheriff's office says it's because of their heavy holiday patrol presence that officers were on the scene so quickly.
“Patrol has always stepped up on holidays," Fairly said. "We always, during any of these major holidays, re-task units from other areas to be out there because there are so many people moving around, so many people on the beach, and traffic is always very extreme. Traffic units are out there. We have a warrant unit re-tasked out there…there was an enormous presence."
Investigators say they suspect about 10 juveniles were involved in the argument that led to the shooting. Detectives have obtained some limited video. They were working to try to gather more footage on Tuesday.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are following leads to find anyone involved in the shooting.
Anybody with information is asked to call 941-861-4900 or provide an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 941-366-TIPS.