ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On Wednesday, Orange County government and community leaders are meeting for the second time in a series of discussions on reducing violent crime, which comes on the heels of the shooting death of a local teen.
What You Need To Know
- The task force meeting started at 10 a.m.
- Many of the shootings have been tied to gang violence
- RELATED:
This next meeting comes just one day after a teen was gunned down in broad daylight in Orlando's Parramore neighborhood.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings created this task force after a three-week span earlier this year where Orange County had seven shootings involving youth, one where a 3-year-old child was killed.
Many of these have been tied to gang violence.
In this week's shooting, Orlando Police said the victim is 15-year-old Antwan Roberts Jr.
Roberts' mother said he was just feet from his door, near the intersection of Columbia Street and Paramore Avenue, when he was shot and killed.
Police said it is still unclear if this shooting is gang-related.
Demings is leading the second meeting of the Orange County Citizens Safety Task Force at the West Orange Recreation Center in Winter Garden.
Task force members include faith leaders, behavioral health professionals, and law enforcement.
Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon said despite this shooting, Parramore has seen a reduction in violent crime recently.
"Not even an hour before this incident, we were having our joint chiefs meeting. We were talking about the fact that the Parramore area in the last two years has seen, and we'll verify this number for you, almost a 60% reduction in the number of homicides that have occurred here. Progress is being made," Chief Rolon said.
Police do not have any suspect information in Roberts' death as of right now.
You can be anonymous and call CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS with information in this case.