Some Americans have decided to ignore the threat of being infected by COVID-19 in order to have fun on Memorial Day. Images of packed pool parties and crowded clubs circulated on social media throughout the weekend.
One hotspot proved to be Daytona Beach, Florida, a place that has a tradition of hosting Memorial Day weekend events.
But along with a failure to practice social distancing, violence also erupted, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
On May 23, large crowds on Daytona Beach congregated on the street causing traffic to shut down. As the sun set, fights broke out and gun violence followed. Two people were rushed to the hospital after being shot around 8:00 p.m. EST, and three others were shot minutes later.
Police eventually broke up the large crowds. According to social distancing rules in Volusia County, Florida, beachgoers can only be in groups of 10 or fewer and must remain 6 feet apart.
The footage reveals that beachgoers mostly ignored the rules implemented to help keep citizens safe during the global pandemic. More gatherings will take place as Americans celebrate the holiday.
According to the CDC, 1.68 million Americans have been infected by COVID-19 and 98,129 have died from the novel virus.
View footage of the Daytona Beach party below:
