Police said the wounded 17-year-old is expected to survive after gunfire near Pier 60.
CLEARWATER, FL — A 16-year-old boy has been arrested after police said a 17-year-old was shot Sunday during a large teen gathering on Clearwater Beach that brought hundreds of people to Coronado Drive near Pier 60.
The shooting pushed city leaders and police into a fast public response at the start of summer break. Clearwater police said the wounded teen remained hospitalized but was expected to recover. Officers also detained several people after the shooting and charged another 17-year-old with gun-related offenses not tied to firing the shots.
Police said the shooting happened around 5:15 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Coronado Drive, a busy beach corridor close to Pier 60 and several hotels and shops. Deputy Police Chief Michael Walek said the gathering followed posts shared on social media and drew teens from Clearwater and other communities. “This kind of reckless and criminal behavior will not be tolerated on Clearwater Beach or anywhere in our city,” Walek said. Officers had already increased staffing after learning of the planned gathering, but police said the event escalated after fights broke out in the crowd.
The wounded teen was taken to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital with gunshot wounds to his leg, arm and chest, police said. The injuries were not considered life-threatening. Police identified the accused shooter as Noel Marsh III, 16, and said he was arrested Monday night at his home in Haines City. Marsh faces charges of attempted second-degree murder, discharging a firearm in public and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor. Police said he refused to speak with detectives after his arrest. Investigators said they believe seven shots were fired. Authorities did not say whether the gun had been recovered.
Police said the shooting grew out of a dispute between two groups who knew each other, not a random attack on beach visitors. Walek said the conflict began about a month earlier in Winter Haven and continued through social media and party-related rivalries. Police said there had also been a fight earlier Sunday before the shooting. Another 17-year-old, from Brandon, was charged after officers said he ran from the scene and was detained nearby. That teen faces charges of obstructing or resisting an officer without violence, unlawful carry of a concealed firearm and possession of a firearm by a minor under 18. Police said he was not the shooter.
The shooting came during the first weekend after many schools let out for summer, when Clearwater Beach usually sees heavy crowds. Police said many people involved in Sunday’s disturbance came from outside Clearwater, including Hillsborough and Polk counties. Walek told city leaders the department’s threat management unit has tracked 11 possible takeover events since Dec. 31, 2025. Police said nine were canceled and two did not fully develop after law enforcement action. Similar teen gatherings have drawn attention across Florida, including a May incident at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in Tampa that led to 22 arrests and the seizure of two firearms.
After the gunfire, officers moved to control crowds and respond to other disturbances nearby. Clearwater police received help from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Largo Police Department. Police also cut off access to Clearwater Beach for a time and used a traffic plan normally used for major holiday crowds, including July 4. Officers checked local hospitals for any other shooting victims and continued reviewing the scene and witness statements. Police said no other people with gunshot injuries were found. The investigation remained active Tuesday as detectives reviewed evidence and worked to identify others tied to the fight and the larger gathering.
City officials discussed the shooting Monday during a work session and said they wanted to study stronger ways to respond to organized takeovers. Council member Ryan Cotton called the conduct “completely unacceptable” and said the city should look at ways to hold organizers and others accountable. Mayor Bruce Rector said his son was working at a beach hotel a few hundred feet from the shooting when it happened. Rector said online videos made the scene look chaotic for a long period, but he said police had prepared for the crowd and kept control of the beach despite tense moments.
Nearby businesses also felt the impact. Some closed early Sunday as crowds swelled and police worked the scene. Bob Pick, kitchen manager at Sandcastle Inn Arcade, said Monday that the beach was quiet when it should have been busy for the start of summer. “Yesterday, everybody shut down,” Pick said. “That’s not the way you want to end your week.” Police said the shooting happened in one of the city’s most visible tourist areas, near hotels, restaurants and the evening crowds that gather around Pier 60.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier also weighed in Tuesday, saying state prosecutors were being asked to develop a plan to investigate and prosecute people responsible for organizing teen takeovers. Clearwater police said more officers were placed at the beach Monday after social media posts mentioned another possible gathering. Detectives had not announced additional arrests in the shooting case as of Tuesday afternoon.
Author note: Last updated June 2, 2026.