'Immediate Action' Taken To Stop Another Large Gathering In Long Beach

LONG BEACH, NY — Officials took steps to break up an unauthorized beach gathering planned for Wednesday in Long Beach.

It comes a week after a shooting took place as large crowds dispersed from the beach.

"Our message is clear. If you want to come to our City to promote chaos on our beaches, we will not tolerate it and we will shut you down. We will also hold you civilly and criminally responsible, Council President Brendan Finn wrote on Facebook.

Finn said once it spread on social media encouraging people to head to the beach, the city took "immediate action."

"Our police department was fully staffed and actively patrolling the boardwalk," he said.

Long Beach worked closely with New York State Police, Nassau County Police and the MTA police, as each agency had a massive presence across the city.

The city also got a temporary restraining order from a judge against the promoters of Wednesday's beach event.

Last week, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the abdomen as the beach crowd approached the LIRR station. Two people were arrested, including a 15-year-old boy, police said.

That incident led city officials to institute changes for gatherings, including requiring passes seven days a week to access the beach.

"We will continue to monitor the situation, but we want you to know that we will do everything possible to protect our residents and our city," Finn said.