Thousands of people gathered at Tybee Island from Friday to Sunday for the popular-but-unauthorized beach celebration known as “Orange Crush.”
With it came multiple arrests, but police are still searching for suspects accused of beating and robbing two women at the beach Sunday.
A video depicting a large crowd and a woman and her daughter being attacked was shared with authorities and has become the center of an investigation, Tybee Island police said Tuesday. City of Tybee officials told the Savannah Morning News that approximately 40,000 to 50,000 people came onto the barrier island.
The video shows a few people engaging in the attack against the two women, while others stand around just watching. Some can be seen filming the incident and others seem to be dancing in the area.
The mother, who police said was “noticeably bruised and swollen,” told authorities that she had been beaten and robbed of her purse by several people. She added that her daughter also became a victim.
At the time that she reported the incident, she said her daughter “was still lost somewhere among the sea of people.” Her daughter was eventually located by officers and good Samaritans.
Arrest warrants have been secured for one person involved in the attack and police said they are coordinating with agencies to arrest that person. The suspect’s name and charges were not released.
Authorities are now asking for the public’s help in identifying the other people involved.
“We know that this weekend’s unpermitted event attracted visitors from across the country,” officials said. “That’s why it’s important that you share this video far and wide so that we can continue to identify the other attackers and hold them accountable for their actions.”
At least 18 arrests were made on Tybee over the weekend. Police did not say if all those arrested were attending Orange Crush. Nearly 40 traffic citations and 53 code enforcement violations were also filed.
Over the weekend, there were at least three instances of a gun being fired on the island, but no one was injured, according to Tybee Island police.
Charges among the 18 arrests included armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, DUI, theft by receiving, wrong way driving, obstruction, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and discharging a firearm within city limits.
Orange Crush has been an annual event for historically Black colleges and universities since 1988. This year’s festival was the first at Tybee Island since 2018. The event had relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, in 2021, citing “civil rights violations and political injustices.”
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