'It is heartbreaking': Daytona Beach families gather to march against gun violence amid wave of shootings
Families march to protest gun violence
Dozens of people marched through the streets of Daytona Beach, Saturday morning calling for an end to gun violence. Marchers made their way to Joe Harris Park where they rallied. One by one, the relatives of gun violence victims stepped up to the microphone and said the names of their loved ones who’d died.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Dozens of people marched through the streets of Daytona Beach, Saturday morning calling for an end to gun violence. Marchers made their way to Joe Harris Park where they rallied. One by one, the relatives of gun violence victims stepped up to the microphone and said the names of their loved ones who’d died.
"My name is Jennifer Cord," said one mother, "my son's name was Rayshard Mitchell. He was 23 years old and he was murdered on Verdale Street."
They were just a few of the families stricken by a wave of gun violence shaking Daytona Beach. Police Chief Jakari Young said the shootings needed to stop.
"It is heartbreaking, because everybody has their own story. Everybody has their own trials and tribulations that they're dealing with," said Chief Young.
LaShandra Miles’ 24-year-old son Lawrence Davis died in a shooting. She organized the march in his memory and the memories of the other victims.
"I was a mess. Shortly after, another kid got shot," she said, "that's when I decided, look, I gotta do something."
Marchers say this was just the beginning of their push to make Daytona Beach a safer place. Chief Young said they could all do it, together.
"My staff is working around the clock to do our part, to try to prevent what's going on," he said. "But what we really need is people to start speaking up. Because no one wants to say anything until it affects them, immediately."
Chief Young said investigators were now working together with local, state, and even federal agencies to close cases.