The Daytona Beach community is mourning the tragic loss of one individual and the wounding of three others after an early yesterday morning shooting incident, as first reported by local news outlets. FOX 35 Orlando reveals authorities were called around 3:30 a.m. to the 200 block of Ontario Court, where they found one victim fatally injured and was declared deceased at the scene. Three more gunshot victims later sought medical attention at a hospital, with two in critical but stable condition and the third having been released following treatment.
The deceased has been identified as 36-year-old Andre Lamar Smiley, according to information from ClickOrlando. However, what remains unclear is the suspect's identity and motive behind the shooting, which have yet to be unraveled by investigators. This senseless act of violence has left the community in shock. The neighbors reported a gathering of roughly 30 people in the parking lot where the shooting occurred, indicating a social event might have been underway moments before the chaos erupted.
Residents described a chaotic scene with one neighbor, Georgiana Mingo, recounting the sound of rapid gunfire, "pop pop pop pop pop pop pop," an alarming soundtrack to what she believed was a social gathering of youngsters, echoing sentiments of unease. Mingo Henry recounted to WESH how these gatherings have been a recent trend accompanied by concerns for safety, remarking, "Some mother done lost their child and here it is Palm Sunday you know."
Meanwhile, Evelina Brockington, a lifelong resident of the area, expressed a sense of hardened resilience in the face of recurring violence in her interview with ClickOrlando, absolving "You can't do nothing about it… If something come, you deal with it as it come," despite the Daytona Beach Police Department stating, "investigators believe this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community," the events have left citizens like Brockington calling for more decisive action against such outbreaks of violence asserting "it takes a village" to address the situation while she clings to prayer and a hope for change.
The Daytona Beach Police Department has encouraged the public to help by providing any relevant information and can be contacted at 386 671-5420 or by emailing Detective Edwin Soto at [email protected].
