Ginnie Springs reopens; GCSO releases limited information about two shootings inside the park over Memorial Day weekend
Staff report
HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Ginnie Springs announced this morning that it is open for daily admissions today and normal operations will resume tomorrow at 8 a.m.
Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) has released a little more information about events over the weekend at the park: according to a Facebook post, GCSO responded to two shootings inside the park. One shooting was during the overnight hours on Friday night, and the other was during the overnight hours of Saturday night. The Facebook post from GCSO on Sunday morning only disclosed the Saturday night shooting.
The post states that both incidents are under active investigation by GCSO and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and no additional details are being released at this time.
The statement continued:
What is available for immediate release is that the men and women of GCSO and their neighboring law enforcement agencies have worked tirelessly, around the clock, for days on end to investigate these horrible crimes and to bring those responsible to justice. Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office would like to specifically thank Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida Highway Patrol, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Dixie County Sheriff’s Office, Gilchrist County Fire Rescue, Gilchrist County Emergency Management, and the 8th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office for their work and assistance in both of these cases.
Details and additional information about these cases will be released at the appropriate time, hopefully in the very near future. We thank you for your trust and understanding as we continue to work on these cases.
Another GCSO post last night said that the identity of the female described in yesterday morning’s post is no longer being sought.
GCSO has not responded to our request for information on this weekend’s events.
They shut that party down EARLY for the weekend!
When I was at the springs I peed in the water.
The local owners of Ginnie Springs need to be held accountable for all that happens in their property. They should also be billed by the law enforcement for the actions on their private property. These local owners should be stewards of nature and they have failed miserably. The trash, pollution, and damage to flora, fauna, and renting their land to corporations that pump beyond the water limits will destroy these beautiful springs. The local owners should mark each campsite, include a fire pit, and trash can regardless, primitive or electric. Every site should be made with reservations and limit the # of ppl per site. One vehicle per campsite. Any additional vehicle must park in a spot near the checkin. Stop with the horse pasture overflow. When the site are full, then have day passes and cut it off when the # of ppl enter. Do not allow alcohol, drugs, or ppl under 18 without a parent or guardian. Rent floats, kayaks for day use visitors only. Campers can bring them. Have check in/out hours from 7am-9pm only. It’s called responsible management.
Sounds like ypu should buy the place.
To the idiot. You can’t be held responsible for what someone else does on or with something provided to them just because you don’t approve.
Think of all the stupid lawsuits that would be happening all over the country.
Maybe you did think about the potential lawsuits…maybe you’re an ambulance chaser, or is it just another tree hugger.
The owners have been making money by providing access and enjoyment to thousands over the years. Jealous?
To This may work; your logic implies that we should eliminate all rules and regulations that prohibit dangerous activities because it would create stupid lawsuits.
Then let’s allow everything! Guns, alcohol, pot, meth, throwing trash in the springs, etc.
Tree hugger? No, let’s bulldoze the trees and use them for firewood. Shooting and killings are welcome. None of that sissy cave diving stuff.
All this ignorance can be stopped. It’s called full time law enforcement on site.
Wanna be a Bro, go downtown or be arrested.
Sure, not so sane. There are rules, I never implied anything other than it’s asinine to imply it’s the owner’s fault what happened at Ginnie. There’s a criminal/disobedient/disregard for rules that thrives within society.
Have kids? Did you raise them to adulthood? If he/she breaks the law, is it your fault and should you be punished?
Own property? Should there be laws about what kind of grass can be grown your yard?
Entertain people at your home? If they have a beer, wine or an aspirin at your home and they injure someone driving home, are you responsible?
Wanna be rich? Save your money or earn more. Don’t sue just because you feel like it or an attorney says you should. That’s one of the contributing factors to the high costs of homeowner’s insurance now.
Idiots work for you too. Just ask the sheriff’s deputy that is soon jobless .
More like thousands over a weekend. They’ve trashed the place and effect other canoe and kayakers coming down the river.
How much ya wanna bet they beez absentee owners
Anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows what a crime ridden dangerous 💩 hole Ginnie Springs has become, especially on holiday weekends. Between the drunk drivers, drug addicts, fights, and other violence it’s a wonder more people don’t die out there.
Why is it the beautiful spots in North Florida are always overtaken by alcoholics and meth heads when we have tons of good-hearted honest local people and paying transplants so interested in exploring the area with thier families. Let’s get the alcoholics and addicts out of North Florida! There are too many lowlifes skating around here on bald tires with no insurance! Return this area to what it once was- a safe place to explore nature for those who DESERVE it!
Everyone deserves it, not everyone appreciates it.
“Let’s get the alcoholics and addicts out of North Florida!”
But… then, no one would live here.
Apparently, the same urban culture we hear on radios and see on screens has penetrated the far out sticks. Nobody is safe now. 👹👿💩🤡👺D
Uh, St Mary’s Ga is urban? In my day those were rednecks.
This whole situation is rediculous. Start doing firearm checks when these mins come back. The rotten culture is coming out to the Springs now.
I used to go to Ginnie Springs to cave dive in the early 70s, before it was commercial. You either needed go with someone who knew how to get there, or rely on a book, I think it was called “Diving Florida’s Caves”, that gave directions like “turn right at the 3rd fence post after the fork in the dirt road.” Going there was a way to truly “get away from it all.” Ginnie Springs’ forest and sparkling clear water were examples of Nature’s pristine purity and beauty. It’s tragic and outrageous that the problems of urban violence have metastasized and corrupted Ginnie Springs. I blame our esteemed civic leaders for importing criminals and vagrants with their destructive progressive pandering. Paradise lost…
Give me a break. I’ve been going there since the 70’s too and what is trashing the place isn’t progressives, it’s the owners hosting underage drunks partying non-stop in the thousands. This has been going on for a decade at least and they just want to cash their check.