DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young says “foolishness” appears to be to blame for a fatal shooting at Derbyshire Park Sunday.
Sunday’s shooting was the sixth in the city in the last nine days in which four people have died, Chief Young said in a press conference.
READ: Child hides as armed, masked suspects tie-up and rob occupants of Deltona home
He identified the victim in Sunday’s shooting as John Phillips. He was 19 years old.
Daytona Beach police officers responded to 911 calls reporting a person shot at the park just before 3:30 p.m.
They arrived to find Phillips on the ground on the basketball courts with multiple gunshot wounds.
Phillips was treated on scene and taken to the hospital but died less than an hour later, police say.
According to investigators, Phillips had been playing basketball with several other people when at least one suspect approached and opened fire on him.
Police say no words were exchanged between Phillips and suspects before the shots were fired.
The suspects ran from the scene before officers arrived, but police say the victim and the suspects are known to each other.
READ: Mother of teen killed by deputies, shot in leg during son’s funeral
One of them is already in custody, but isn’t being identified until investigators can determine his involvement in the shooting.
They’re still looking for a second person who they say they’ve also identified.
Police say they’re following up on tips about the second suspect’s location, but they’re concerned because no guns have been recovered. As a result, they’re treating the second suspect as though he could still be armed.
Police say the motive for Sunday’s shooting so far appears to be a dispute over a woman.
In response to the latest shooting incident, Chief Young has called for a community meeting to be held Monday evening to discuss the recent spike in violent crime there.
“I’m asking all community leaders, all clergy, anybody that is legitimately concerned about what’s going on in this community, to meet me tomorrow night,” Young said during a press conference Sunday.
It’s being held at the Midtown Cultural Center on George W. Engram Blvd. at 6 p.m. and masks are required.
READ: Florida reports more than 7,000 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, 59 virus-related deaths
Daytona Beach police say they’ve now had a total 13 homicides so far this year.
The last homicide in Daytona Beach before the six shooting incidents marking the recent uptick this month was back in mid-September when a woman was shot and killed at the Brentwood Apartments. Four people have been arrested arrested in that case.