Long Island beach shut down to prevent multi-school party, officials say
A popular Long Island beach was shut down days after Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, to prevent a mass gathering of high school students, officials said.
Officials with the City of Long Beach announced the beach shutdown Friday to fend off what they called an "unauthorized party."
"Today we took the preemptive step to physically close our beaches after receiving intelligence that numerous school districts planned to head to our city for senior cut day," City Council President Brendan Finn said.
Officials said the nearly four-mile stretch of beach would reopen at 5 a.m. Saturday.
It will only be open on weekends and holidays until June 20, they said.
Multiple schools planned "senior cut day"
Police were stationed at the beach "through the night" Friday to prevent people from gathering, Long Beach Police Commissioner Richard DePalma said.
Groups from schools in New Hyde Park, Manhattan and Flushing, Queens were stopped by officers on the boardwalk and turned away Friday morning, he said.
"This morning, NYPD Schools Safety reached out to the department and was letting us know that three schools were intending to come to Long Beach today," DePalma said. "They had planned senior cut days and they were heading in our direction."
New York State and Nassau County police were assisting, while MTA Police were monitoring the Long Island Rail Road station in Long Beach, he added.
The boardwalk was not closed during the beach shut down, officials said.
Mass gathering at Long Beach led to shooting last summer
Thousands of teens descended onto the same beach last year around this time. That event ended with gunfire, as one person was shot and two were arrested.
Long Beach officials have been intent on preventing something similar from happening again.
"There were shots fired in close proximity to a lot of people, there were individuals who were shot, and we don't want that to happen again," DePalma said.
Finn said they have been using social media to track plans for potential gatherings, including some posts inviting crowds to take over the beach. Police contacted superintendents and principals to get the warning out.
"We understand this may be an inconvenience for our residents with the closing of the beach today, but their safety comes first," he added. "We want people to come to Long Beach, just not on senior cut day, and we don't want people to create mischief here."