Editorial: River Violence Was Only A Matter Of Time

    The ticking time bomb that has been St. Johns River violence finally exploded over the weekend, with two people shot after a confrontation on the water. For people who have followed activity on the river and its social gathering spots in recent years, there couldn’t have been any surprise upon hearing the news.
    Details of exactly what caused the confrontation are either unknown or as-yet-unreleased by law enforcement officials, but locals have been talking plenty. And have been for months on end about problems on the water.
    They talk about speeding boats, about ‘gangs’ of jet ski riders who do exactly what they want all the time, with no regard to anyone else. We hear from law enforcement officers saying they are nearly powerless to stop the lawlessness, as their boats aren’t fast enough to catch jet skis, and when they do and write a ticket, the users have been known to simply tear up the ticket as they ride away.
    Here’s a terrible story: We heard of a riverside resident fishing on their dock one day, when a jet ski came slashing by. The resident called out for them to slow down, with the rider turning around and riding back to the dock, dropping their pants - and defecating into the river in front of the resident before tearing off again.
    At this point, we guess the resident should be glad they weren’t shot, but come on, is that where we are at as a society?
    Apparently so, and it isn’t good enough, not by a long shot. Decent people shouldn’t have to expect that kind of behavior, at least without an arrest.
    We have been advocating for some really strong enforcement on the river, and hopefully, Saturday's gunfight will get the powers-that-be to move in a more forceful direction.
    Between the two county sheriff's offices that patrol the river in the Astor area, as well as the game commission, there has to be a way to get the river under control.
    Why aren't the no alcohol rules at Silver Glen not enforced more strongly? Why aren't there rules in place that allow law enforcement the ability to seize a boat or jet ski that is putting people's lives in danger? We aren't advocating for a permanent seizure, just for a few days, or maybe a month. Trust us, people who lose their boats for a month due to acting like idiots are less likely to do it the next time. And if they do it again? Make it 60 days. At least the decent people on the water won't have to deal with them for awhile, if nothing else is accomplished.
    Lawlessness is a growing problem throughout society, and there are many reasons for that. But one big reason is that there seems to be little or no real consequence for acting lawlessly. It seems to be a growing problem from the federal level on down. And here we are now, where a simple day on the river fishing might see your day ruined by some lawless goons, or even worse, your life.
    We all deserve better.
    In this most recent incident, we don't know who popped off first, who was doing the wrong thing first, or who decided it was a good idea to pull a gun. But the incident is only a symptom of a larger problem, which is a general lack of law and order on the water. That has to be fixed, before the boating hobby on the river is ruined for everyone.