Shots Fired at Crab Island? What Louisiana Beachgoers Should Know

(KMDL-FM) As Louisiana begins its annual "beach rotation" with the arrival of Memorial Day Weekend this weekend, we are hearing some disturbing news from a vacation destination that is popular with many Louisiana beach lovers.

If you've ever visited the Florida Panhandle Beach Communities of Fort Walton, Navarre, or Destin,  you've probably been invited out to Crab Island. What's interesting about Crab Island is that it's not an island at all. It's a submerged sandbar in the waters of Choctawhatchee Bay.

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It makes the water very shallow, which is perfect for boaters to pull up and anchor. It also allows those on those boats to climb into the water, splash around, swim, and get some sun without having to worry so much about struggling to stay afloat as they might in deeper water.

Why Were Shots Fired at Crab Island Near Destin and Fort Walton?

Crab Island is a great communal gathering place, and for the most part, everyone who comes out understands that the vibe is supposed to be "chill," which is why it was such a shock that social media reports from last weekend suggested there was gunfire at Crab Island during the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival.

To make matters worse, the social media posts seem to imply that the shots being fired were coming from United States Army Personnel. The videos and witnesses at the seem suggest the shots were fired by members of the 6th Ranger Training Battalion of Camp Rudder.

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According to Billy Bowlegs Festival organizers, the Army crew was supposed to participate in a "mock sea battle" with the fictitious pirate, but the incident reported from Crab Island was not part of the festival, nor was it approved by the City of Fort Walton. We should note that the rounds that were allegedly fired were reported to be blank rounds and not live ammunition.

The Army is currently looking into the incident; meanwhile, debate on social media has ranged from "much ado about nothing" to "firing shots, even blanks around a crowd could insight panic". There appear to be several investigations into the allegations, and they are all ongoing.