South Beach curfew: What to know after two fatal shootings spur emergency order

MIAMI -- The city of Miami Beach on Sunday enacted a midnight curfew and state of emergency following a spate of violence in South Beach over a 36-hour period that left two people dead and at least two others hurt.

In a written statement, the city said it was taking the measures because of the gun violence and the "excessively large and unruly crowds" that had packed the beach during a weekend that attracted a throng of Spring Break visitors.

The curfew goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Sunday night and extends until 6 a.m. Monday morning.

"Both shootings were between visitors to Miami Beach and did not involve residents," Mayor Dan Gelber said in a taped video message about the "peril that cannot go unchecked, especially in the evenings."

Miami Beach city commissioners are scheduled to hold a special meeting Monday to discuss the order beyond this Monday.

Miami Beach police said the shooting Friday night occurred at 10:41 p.m. when officers in the area of 7th Street and Ocean Drive heard gunshots before they found found two men suffering from gunshot wounds near 7th Street.

Both men were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Unit, where one of the victims later died. The second victim was later released from the hospital.

Police took one man in custody and four guns were recovered at the scene.

In the Sunday overnight shooting, police said a man was shot near 11th Street and Ocean Drive. 

He died after being rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital. A second person was hurt but treated at the scene and released, according to police.

A suspect was taken into custody in connection with that shooting.

Request for curfew

In a post on Twitter, Commissioner Steven Meiner said he asked the mayor to schedule an emergency commission meeting as a result of the two fatal shootings.

"Today we need to take action, including implementing a South Beach curfew," he said. Two people dead. Enough is enough."

The curfew will apply to the area bounded by 23rd Street and Dade Boulevard on the north (including properties fronting the north side of 23 Street or Dade Boulevard), Government Cut on the south, Biscayne Bay on the west, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Businesses within the zone were ordered to close in advance of the curfew in order to permit people from violating the curfew.  

City officials said all roads or traffic patterns within the curfew area could be closed or rerouted as deemed necessary by the city manager or chief police.  

According to the city, the provisions of the order: 

• The curfew will apply to the area bounded by 23rd Street and Dade Boulevard on the north (including properties fronting the north side of 23 Street or Dade Boulevard), Government Cut on the south, Biscayne Bay on the west, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. Businesses within the zone were ordered to close in advance of the curfew in order to permit people from violating the curfew.
• The sale or distribution of any alcoholic beverage(s) for off-premises consumption is prohibited in the curfew area after 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
  
• Businesses must admit their last guests within a time frame that allows them to leave by 11:59 p.m. each night. Hotels may continue business operations past the curfew, provided they are servicing hotel guests only.
• Businesses other than hotels shall be permitted to continue to operate from 11:59 p.m. - 6 a.m. for delivery only. Takeout and pickup service is prohibited.
• The curfew shall not apply to the provision of designated essential services, such as fire, police and hospital services, including the transportation of patients, utility emergency repairs, and emergency calls by physicians, and the curfew shall also not apply to persons traveling to their places of employment to report for work and to return to their residences after their work has concluded.
• All city residents requiring access to or from their homes, guests requiring access to or from their hotels, and employees / service providers of business establishments requiring access, including normally scheduled deliveries and janitorial services, shall be permitted. Residents are advised to return to the City prior to 11:59 p.m., in order to avoid any potential traffic delays once the curfew has taken effect. Hotel guests entering the City after the curfew is in place, may be required to show proof of lodging (such as a hotel reservation).

In order to manage access to our residential neighborhoods, the city said the following restrictions would be in place:

• Residents will be able to access the South of Fifth neighborhood via Alton Road, Washington Avenue and Collins Avenue only.
• Residents will be able to access the Flamingo Park neighborhood via Alton Road. No access will be granted from Washington Avenue.
• In addition to the existing License Plate Readers (LPR's) along the main thoroughfares, mobile LPR's will be utilized along the 5 Street corridor. 
• Ocean Drive will re-open to traffic the evening of Sunday, March 19, 2023.

The curfew will impact previously scheduled events.

The city said it was taking the following steps to address those events:  

The existing programming as part of Miami Beach Live! scheduled to take place over the next week will be adjusted as follows and that on Sunday, March 19, 2023:
- Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) will continue as scheduled.
- Model Volleyball will end at 6 p.m.
- Art on the Drive performances will end at 6 p.m.
- Crunch fitness activations will continue as scheduled.
- All other programming in Lummus Park has been cancelled.

Friday March 24, 2023 - Sunday, March 26, 2023:
Hyrox Miami Beach Fitness Festival will operate from 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.