Orlando lifts curfew put in place following Halloween shooting

The City of Orlando will lift a curfew Thursday at 5 p.m. that has been in place since a mass shooting on Halloween night that left two dead, and eight wounded.

The curfew restricted people from walking or driving downtown between the hours of 1 and 5 a.m. and also banned alcohol sales after midnight.

Then on Friday, November 15, the city will take additional measures to end what it calls "the street-party" atmosphere downtown, only gradually reopening Orange Avenue and side streets to vehicles during early morning hours.

In the early phases, the city will use barricades to keep pedestrians closer to the sidewalks and only one lane of Orange Avenue will be open to through traffic.

In a statement, David Barilla, Downtown Development Board and Community Redevelopment Director said, "Sadly, the street-party atmosphere in downtown has shifted from a fun, festive space to one that is dangerous and unsafe. Downtown and its streets, must operate differently to create a more welcoming place where our local businesses are patronized and supported."

The news comes as the city prepares for Electric Daisy Carnival or EDC this weekend, an annual music festival held at Camping World Stadium.

The Orlando Police Department said it's working closely with public safety and business community partners to ensure the safety of participants, and that anyone who sees anything suspicious should call 911 or flag down a police officer.

In a statement the department said, "Whether security measures are visible or not, officers are always working on the streets and behind the scenes to ensure the safety of our city."

In order to add an extra layer of safety, Project Opioid will distribute free naloxone spray (commonly known as NARCAN) to attendees. They will also provide free onsite training for how to use the nasal spray.

NARCAN can be used to instantly reverse an opioid overdose and save lives.