A 19-year-old man was killed and six others were injured in a shooting overnight after hundreds of teens filled downtown Pensacola, Florida, for the Fourth of July, police said. The Pensacola Police Department had nearly tripled its staffing in the area in anticipation of crowded holiday celebrations.

Teen Takeover

Police described a “teen takeover” that began with children as young as middle schoolers holding fireworks and escalated into an increasingly dangerous situation, as older teens and young adults filled the streets Saturday night and into Sunday morning. Officers responded when shots were fired shortly after 1 a.m. and began providing medical care to the injured victims on the ground.

Despite efforts to save the 19-year-old with CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The six other victims, ranging in age from 16 to 26, are receiving medical care at various hospitals, and all are expected to survive.

Police are now asking for the public’s help in finding one or more gunmen responsible for the shooting, which they believe was targeted. No suspects had been identified as of Sunday morning. Authorities widely refer to mass gatherings of unaccompanied young people — that sometimes escalate into chaos or violence — as teen takeovers.

Pensacola Police Chief Eric Winstrom urged families in his community to keep track of where their kids are and to work to keep them away from potentially dangerous situations. “Be involved in your kids’ lives,” Winstrom said.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.