A person died Friday after being shot on the 700 block of School Street in Daytona Beach, just steps from Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in the city's historic Midtown district. Officers and paramedics tried to save the victim at the scene, but the injuries proved fatal, and police say the investigation remains active with no suspect publicly identified.
Daytona Beach police officers responded at 11:50 a.m. to reports of a shooting on School Street near MLK Boulevard, according to the Daytona Beach Police Department. As FOX 35 Orlando reported, officers and medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures on the victim, who ultimately died from shooting-related injuries. Police asked the public to avoid the area while detectives worked the scene.
As of Friday evening, police had not released the victim's identity, provided details on a possible suspect, or explained what led to the shooting, per the same report. The department has not said whether anyone is currently in custody or being sought in connection with the case.
A Familiar Stretch of Midtown
The 700 block of School Street sits within walking distance of Bethune-Cookman University, in a neighborhood that Visit Daytona Beach describes as the city's historic Midtown district. The block has drawn police attention before: officers previously targeted the area with special crime suppression operations tied to narcotics distribution and street-level violence, according to a 2018 report from WKMG.
Friday's shooting also echoes a similar incident from earlier this year. In May, Daytona Beach police investigated a daytime shooting on the nearby 800 block of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard, where a victim suffered life-threatening gunshot wounds, as Hoodline reported in coverage of that shooting. That case unfolded just blocks from Friday's scene, underscoring a pattern of violent gun incidents in this corner of Midtown.
Elevated Crime Numbers, Strong Clearance Record
Daytona Beach's violent crime rate has run well above the state average. NeighborhoodScout data shows the city reported 740 violent crimes in a recent annual count, a rate of 8.6 per 1,000 residents compared with Florida's statewide average of 2.67 per 1,000. The Midtown corridor near MLK Boulevard has seen its share of that violence, including a July 2023 triple homicide on Park Drive that ended with three consecutive life sentences for the shooter this past April, a case Hoodline covered when the sentence came down.
Despite the elevated crime rate, Daytona Beach police have historically closed most of their homicide cases. Department tracking data compiled by Police Scorecard shows DBPD investigated 84 homicides between 2013 and 2025, clearing 76 of them and leaving eight unsolved. If detectives in Friday's case eventually identify and convict a suspect, Florida's 10-20-Life law under Florida Statute § 775.087 mandates a minimum sentence of 25 years to life for anyone convicted of a felony involving a firearm discharge that causes death. A charge of first-degree murder under Florida Statute § 782.04, reserved for premeditated killings, carries the possibility of life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.
How to Help the Investigation
Daytona Beach police have not said what led to Friday's shooting or whether investigators have identified any persons of interest. Anyone with information is asked to text “DBTIPS” to 274637 or call Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-8477, contact channels the department has publicized amid its recent string of active homicide investigations.
