Community leader says something must done after weekend of gun violence in Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida is reeling from a violent weekend of gunfire that left three people dead.

Neighborhoods across Central Florida were impacted by more than a dozen shootings, with the youngest victim a 13-year-old girl.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

Channel 9 contacted every county and major police department in our area to find out how many shootings took place and learned that in Tavares in Lake County two were shot and one person killed, one person was shot in Volusia County, four people were shot in Orlando and 7 people were shot Orange County, with two of those shootings, fatal. Only Seminole County reported no shootings.

Three of those shootings were drive-by shootings.

Read: Violent weekend: 15 shootings reported in Central Florida in 48 hours

J.L. Fluid, a minister in Richmond Heights, told Channel 9 that almost every Saturday the road leading to the Washington Park Cemetery is packed.

“We are losing too many lives right here, and it’s ridiculous,” Fluid said. “You can’t sit on your porch. The older people can’t sit on a porch or walk around. It is not like it used to be around here and something has got to be done.”

Read: Central Florida sees violent weekend with 14 people shot, 3 killed since Friday

Estafany Mena moved to Orlando five years ago and told Channel 9 that the city she loves has changed since then.

“Nothing, nothing is safe anymore. Like, you can go out there, and then you don’t feel secure,” Mena said. “It’s like it’s just a hobby. I think people just don’t see the consequences of what they do.”

Read: Two teenage girls shot in drive-by shooting Saturday night, police say

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

©2022 Cox Media Group