A South Florida community came together Wednesday to pray after a 9-year-old boy was shot and killed over the weekend.
Pastors, teachers, neighbors, Florida City’s Mayor and city commissioners, and others stood with the boy's family to pray for them and call for justice.
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“It's unacceptable and not excusable,” Mayor Otis Wallace said.
Police say Antavious Scott was outside an apartment on West Lucy Street with several people Saturday night when shots were fired. The 9-year-old was hit and died at the hospital.
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Police have not arrested the person or people responsible for his death.
The community wrapped their arms around his mother, who returned to the neighborhood where her son was shot.
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“Can't walk a stage, can't go to prom, can't make his mom a grandmother,” Darlene Dukes said. “You all, please say something, this is a baby.”
Other mothers who've experienced a similar pain are asking people in the community to speak up.
“They know who did this to this baby, just like they know who did this to my son, but this community is so afraid,” Pamela Ezell said.
Two days later, police say someone shot and killed 23-year-old Brendan Francois less than a mile from where the child was shot. A bullet also grazed a 16-year-old girl in the shooting.
Wallace says he's committed to getting guns out of his community. The city has spent more than a quarter million dollars on surveillance cameras, and they recently hired more police officers – all to combat crime in the city, he said.
“When guns end up in the hands of hoodlums and gang bangers who shoot 9-year-old kids, it's time for something to be done,” Wallace said. “We're doing the things we can do, but I don't want to fool anybody, as long as this country accepts guns on the street you will have consequences of guns on the streets."
Police have not arrested anyone in Saturday's or Monday's deadly shootings. If you have any information, call CrimeStoppers at 305-471-8477.
