WHY DID DELRAY BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT TRY TO KEEP SHOOTING QUIET?
BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
DELRAY BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2023 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — For the second time in weeks, the City of Delray Beach Police Department delayed the release of information regarding a high-profile event. This time, it’s a shooting that occurred overnight.
You’ll recall that it took nearly four weeks and a threat of a lawsuit for the City of Delray Beach Police Department to release information about the woman who slammed into four people crossing Atlantic Avenue on New Year’s Eve. It is still unclear why the police department delayed the release of information, and remained non-responsive to multiple public records requests made by BocaNewsNow.com.
Overnight, a shooting at 825 SW 6th Avenue resulted in no information from the Delray Beach Police Department until BocaNewsNow.com submitted an official request for information. After that request, the City of Delray Beach posted minimal details to Twitter — but did not respond directly to our request. Twitter requires a login and potentially exposes those seeking information to data mining by a private company. That violates the intent of Florida Statute 119 — Florida’s Sunshine Law.
Here is the information provided by Delray Beach Police: “Delray Beach Police are investigating a shooting that happened at 2 a.m. in the 800-block of SW 6th Avenue. Adult male was shot in the leg. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Anyone with information about the crime is call call the Delray Beach PD.” (We are publishing this with the incorrect words that are in the actual Tweet).
It is unclear if the public is at risk by a gunman on the loose. The Delray Beach Police Department is only providing the information it posted to Twitter.
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