{"id":49018,"date":"2025-05-20T16:15:08","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T16:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/05\/20\/army-investigating-allegations-rangers-fired-blank-rounds-at-civilians\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:25:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:25:58","slug":"army-investigating-allegations-rangers-fired-blank-rounds-at-civilians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/2025\/05\/20\/army-investigating-allegations-rangers-fired-blank-rounds-at-civilians\/","title":{"rendered":"Army investigating allegations Rangers fired blank rounds at civilians"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Army officials are investigating allegations that a group of Rangers fired blank rounds from automatic weapons without warning at a Florida beach containing crowds of civilians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incident prompted multiple calls to police and social media postings, with witnesses and footage showing men wearing Ranger t-shirts and military uniforms firing the rounds at Crab Island near Destin, Florida, on Friday, Task & Purpose first reported.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Army is aware of the incident that occurred at Crab Island near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday, May 16,\u201d Jennifer Gunn, spokeswoman for the Army\u2019s Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia, told Task & Purpose. \u201cWe take this situation seriously and are investigating. The Army will ensure accountability based on the outcome of the investigation. No further information is available at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group of Army Rangers participated that day in a mock \u201csea battle\u201d with a pirate ship during the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival, Fort Walton Beach spokesperson Devon Ravine told Task & Purpose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the \u201cbattle,\u201d soldiers with the 6th Ranger Training Battalion at Eglin Air Base fired blanks from their weapons, according to the City of Fort Walton Beach. The training battalion is not part of the 75th Ranger Regiment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A noise alert was sent out early Friday detailing the exact time frame and location of the battle, as well as the noises that could be expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crab Island, where reports of the alleged weapons firing occurred, is five miles from the Fort Walton Beach Landing, the location of the sanctioned event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis was the only approved festival activity that involved the Army Rangers firing their weapons,\u201d Ravine told Task & Purpose<\/a>. \u201cWe do not know what occurred at Crab Island on Friday, and cannot comment, except to say that it was not in any way a part of the Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t