The following is a list of events of the year 2020 in Florida .
Ongoing – COVID-19 pandemic in Florida January 13 – The United States expels 21 Royal Saudi Air Force cadets. Amid an investigation into the Saudi Arabian military following the attack on Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida , the cadets were found to have jihadist material and child pornography on their phones. However, none of the cadets are believed to have assisted the gunman in the attack.[ 1]
January 20 – A man is arrested for a series of 40 rapes in the Miami area in the 1980s.[ 2]
April 1 – Governor Ron DeSantis issues a stay-at-home order due to rising COVID-19 cases.[ 3]
April 20 – Miami Police disperses crowds who violated social distancing guidelines during David Guetta 's coronavirus relief concert in the city.[ 4]
May 15 – A United States Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter crashes outside of Eglin Air Force Base , the pilot safely ejects .[ 5]
May 27 – The May 24 arrest of a 23-year-old man in Tampa is announced by federal prosecutors. He had allegedly been planning a mass shooting at Honeymoon Island State Park in support of ISIS .[ 6]
June 14 – Florida reports two consecutive days of 2,000-plus new COVID-19 cases as more counties reopen their beaches. Miami's mayor says this information does not include data from Memorial Day weekend and the George Floyd protests .[ 7]
June 15 – Black Lives Matter activist Oluwatoyin Salau is found dead in Tallahassee , after going missing on June 6. Shortly before her disappearance, Salau tweeted that she had been sexually assaulted by a black man. Her death was treated as a homicide .[ 8] [needs update
September 11 – It is announced that bars in South Florida counties such as Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County will remain closed. However, bars in the rest of the state will be allowed to reopen at a 50% capacity.[ 9]
September 13 – Hurricane Sally approaches from the Gulf of Mexico with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). Flood watches are issued for Florida's west coast, including Tampa.[ 10]
September 16 – Part of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Pensacola collapses due to a crane falling on it during Hurricane Sally's approach.[ 11]
September 27 – Black Swan manslaughter case [ 12]
October 28 – The National Weather Service issues storm surge warnings from the mouth of the Atchafalaya River , Louisiana , to Navarre, Florida .[ 13]
^ "US expels 21 Saudi military cadets after gun attack" . BBC News . 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2024-10-11 .^ "Suspected 'Pillowcase Rapist' who terrorized South Florida women in early 1980s arrested" . Miami Herald ^ "Florida governor issues stay-at-home order after weeks of resistance" . NBC News . 2020-04-01. Retrieved 2024-10-11 .^ "David Guetta Raises Huge Money for COVID-19 Relief With Miami Rooftop Show" . Billboard . Associated Press. 2020-04-20. Retrieved 2024-10-11 .^ Pickrell, Ryan. "A US Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter crashed just outside Eglin Air Force Base in Florida" . Business Insider . Retrieved 2024-10-11 . ^ "Man accused of plotting mass shooting in Tampa Bay area, charged with trying to help ISIS" . wtsp.com . 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2024-10-11 .^ "Florida sees 2 consecutive days of 2,000-plus new COVID-19 cases as more beaches reopen" . ABC News . Retrieved 2024-10-11 .^ Burnside, Scottie Andrew,Tina (2020-06-15). "Black Lives Matter activist found dead one week after she went missing in Florida" . CNN . Retrieved 2024-10-11 . {{cite web }}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )^ "Bars will stay closed in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties" . Sun Sentinel . 2020-09-11. Retrieved 2024-10-11 .^ Brink, Allison Chinchar,Haley (2020-09-13). "Tropical Storm Sally expected to make landfall as a hurricane near New Orleans" . CNN . Retrieved 2024-10-11 . {{cite web }}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )^ Blanks, Ryan W. Miller and Annie. "Hurricane Sally updates: At least 1 dead amid 'catastrophic flooding' in Alabama, Florida; Pensacola bridge, Gulf Shores pier sustain damage" . USA TODAY . Retrieved 2024-10-11 . ^ Breen, Kerry (2024-07-30). "In "Black Swan murder" trial, former ballerina Ashley Benefield found guilty of manslaughter in husband's shooting death - CBS News" . www.cbsnews.com . Retrieved 2024-10-11 . ^ "Tropical Storm Leslie Public Advisory" . www.nhc.noaa.gov . Retrieved 2024-10-11 .
