Fort Lauderdale's mayor and police chief spoke Wednesday to denounce the recent gun violence in the city, including the tragic drive-by shooting that killed a 3-year-old as he attended a birthday party at a park.
Mayor Dean Trantalis and Police Chief Bill Schultz held a news conference at Riverland Park, the scene of the Sunday afternoon shooting that claimed the life of 3-year-old Rylo Yancy.
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"We are on a site touched by unthinkable tragedy," Trantalis said. "The young, innocent life of a 3-year-old was cut tragically short."
Yancy was attending another child's birthday party at the park when the drive-by shooting unfolded. The boy was hit by the gunfire and died from his injuries.
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Police said detectives later identified and located one of the vehicles involved, but said no arrests have been made.
A possible motive for the shooting was unknown, but police are investigating.
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Schultz said Yancy is one of 11 victims who've been shot in recent weeks, and is the second toddler to be struck by gunfire this month.
On July 8, a drive-by shooting left a man and woman dead and a 2-year-old and two other people injured. The shocking crime was caught on surveillance video.
"These incidents demonstrate a wanton disregard for human life," Schultz said. "This violence must stop, it must stop today."
Trantalis said the 2-year-old had been in a medically-induced coma but survived and is now home recovering.
"The shootings of two young children in two recent weeks must never happen again," Trantalis said. "This cannot be acceptable."
Schultz said detectives are investigating the shootings around the clock, but they're asking the public's help in solving the crimes.
