Officials said the beach gathering drew hundreds before a fight turned into gunfire.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Law enforcement officials said they are increasing scrutiny of teen takeover events after a Sunday shooting at Clearwater Beach left one teen wounded and another charged with attempted murder.
The case has put new attention on large youth gatherings promoted through social media. Police said the Clearwater Beach event drew hundreds of teens to Coronado Drive before gunfire broke out around 5:15 p.m. The shooting left a 17-year-old hospitalized with wounds to the leg, arm and chest.
Clearwater police identified the suspect as Noah Marsh III, 16, of Haines City. He was arrested Monday night with help from Polk County deputies. Authorities said he faces charges of attempted second-degree murder, discharging a firearm in public and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor. Clearwater Deputy Police Chief Michael Walek said the shooting followed a fight between two groups that had a prior dispute in Winter Haven.
Officials said the beach event was advertised online as a “link up.” Walek said the flyer told people to bring water and umbrellas and said not to bring alcohol or guns. It also said no unsupervised minors should attend. Police said the event had no permit. Investigators said the fight was tied to social media and party-related rivalries, and the victim helped detectives explain the background of the dispute.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said many young people at the gathering were unsupervised and came from outside Clearwater, including Hillsborough and Polk counties. Some used ride-share services, he said. Gualtieri said parents have a role in stopping the events from turning violent. “They need to step up, they need to parent,” he said at a Tuesday news conference.
Police said city cameras captured activity during the event, including images of a person running with a gun. Authorities said that person was Marsh. Walek said detectives used Clearwater’s real-time operations center to help identify the suspected shooter. He said the shooting reflected the actions of people who came from outside the city and brought violence to the beach.
The shooting came after another large teen gathering in downtown Tampa last month ended in arrests. Officials said 18 minors were arrested at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, mostly on misdemeanor charges. State officials are now watching the trend. Attorney General James Uthmeier said statewide prosecutors are developing a plan to investigate and prosecute people responsible for organizing events that lead to crime.
Clearwater officials said they had prepared for the May 31 event and had officers watching the beach throughout the day. At the height of the response, Clearwater had 40 officers on scene, with support from Pinellas County sheriff’s units and Largo police. Gualtieri said officials will be more vigilant as new meetup posts appear online.
The wounded teen remained hospitalized with injuries described as not life-threatening. Prosecutors had not announced whether Marsh would be charged as a juvenile or as an adult.
Author note: Last updated June 3, 2026.