A senior skip day at a Rhode Island beach turned into a bloody crime scene after three people were stabbed and hundreds of teens fled the area. Police and fire crews responded to Narragansett Town Beach at 3:04 p.m. on Tuesday following reports of multiple stabbings, officials said.
Officers discovered three victims suffering from knife wounds, who were treated on-site before being transported to a local hospital, according to the Narragansett Police Department. Police Chief Kyle Rekas told The Providence Journal that the stabbings resulted from one incident among several occurring at the beach that day.
Hundreds of beachgoers attempted to flee, creating chaos that led to several other minor disturbances, officials noted. Footage from the beach, about 32 miles from Providence, showed a vicious brawl with at least a dozen people attacking each other while many filmed on their phones.
Police placed two adults into custody on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and obstruction of justice, but clarified that these arrests are not related to the stabbings. The Narragansett Police Department thanked multiple agencies for their response and stated the investigation is ongoing.
The stabbing is an out-of-character incident for Narragansett Town Beach, described as picturesque with clean beaches and an ideal getaway by Forbes. Previously, the beach made headlines only for shark reports or best beach lists. Several users online expressed disappointment over the violence.
'Absolutely insane that there was a stabbing at Narragansett Town Beach today. You should be able to go to the beach with your family without worrying about violence breaking out,' one user wrote. Another said, 'Narragansett is turning into a free-for-all lately. At least when they start charging for the beach again, a lot of the riffraff stays away. Praying the victims are OK.'
The beach is technically not open until May 25, and access costs $12. Policies prohibit loud music, obscene language, and alcoholic beverages. The average home in Narragansett costs about $850,000, according to Zillow.
