Overnight Shooting and Boardwalk Fireworks Incident Spark Panic and Massive Police Response in Ocean City, Maryland

Ocean City, Maryland - Local Ocean City Law Enforcement responded to several significant incidents last night and into the early hours of the morning, prompting extensive involvement from multiple law enforcement agencies from around the shore.

Shortly after we shut down for the night, a shooting took place in the area of 28th Street in Ocean City, Maryland. The incident escalated into a Signal 13 alert.

This high-priority alert triggered a major response from various agencies. Numerous officers from the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) were dispatched to the scene, with support from Maryland State Police, Worcester County Sheriff's Office deputies, Berlin Police Department officers, and Ocean Pines officers.

At one point, due to the seriousness of the situation, OCPD requested reinforcements from neighboring counties, including the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department. However, these requests were canceled before reinforcements could arrive, as the situation was brought under control.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) attended to the shooting victim and provided aid at the scene. At this time, we are not going to publish any further information about the victim.

Additionally, details about the suspect and the events leading up to the shooting are currently unavailable.

The incident affected areas ranging from 28th Street to 32nd Street, and ongoing investigations are expected to clarify further details.

This incident also marked the first significant test for the Ocean City Police Department following the termination of the Ocean City Police Seasonal Officer program. Questions regarding adequate manpower and resource allocation are likely to emerge in the aftermath of the department's response.

Earlier in the evening, during a fireworks display hosted on the beach on the southend of town, a separate incident caused mass panic on the Ocean City boardwalk.

Reports indicate that a group of individuals began launching fireworks at pedestrians, which led to chaos and widespread fear.

Over 100 messages and videos from various social media platforms were sent to Eastern Shore Undercover ® by witnesses and bystanders, capturing scenes of people fleeing the area, believing there was an active shooter. The disorder extended to surrounding streets, intensifying the situation, with people truly believing they were being shot at in a active shooter/like situation.

We will publish updates with additional information regarding these incidents as investigations continue.