3 shot Saturday night in Panama City Beach’s Pier Park; ‘Find the bastards who did this’

Vowing to “find the bastards who did this,” Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez Saturday night said three people were shot in a “spring break crowd” at the city’s Pier Park.

The victims, whose names were not released, were being treated for non-life threatening injuries at a local hospital.

Talamantez said the shooting happened at about 9:19 p.m. in the area of Dave and Busters. He said four people were taken into custody as persons of interest.

Police are asking anyone who may have been filming videos in the area at the time to bring them to investigators.

Police were approximately 15 to 20 feet away from the shooting, as there were approximately 50 officers in the area managing a “spring break crowd,” Talamantez said.

The shooting involved two sets of people, though police have not given any reason for the incident. Talamantez said police did not know if the people detained had fired any shots.

He characterized the scene as an “attempted murder” investigation.

“This occurred at a spring break location,” he said. “Our officers have been working diligently to maintain order in Panama City Beach with a crowd that just does not listen to authority,” he said. “We have done everything we possibly can up to this point to ensure the safety of our residents…We have fought these battles. We have won these battles…We will be here for as long as we need to, day in and day out, for as long as we need to.”