US city issues state of emergency, curfew after deadly shootings

Miami, March 20

Authorities in the city of Miami Beach in the US state of Florida have issued a state of emergency and a curfew after two deadly shootings.

The curfew came into effect at 11.59 p.m. Sunday and will remain until 6 a.m. on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Officials intend to impose similar additional curfew restrictions from Thursday through March 27.

The measures came after a man died and another man was injured in a shooting in South Beach on Friday night, and another deadly shooting in Miami Beach early Sunday morning.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said in a video message posted on Sunday that the crowds and presence of firearms have "created a peril that cannot go unchecked."

A south Florida island city, Miami Beach will hold a special commission meeting on Monday afternoon "to discuss the restrictions beyond Monday", according to an official statement.

The US has lost more than 8,960 lives to gun violence so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.