Latest news with #PeaceintheHood
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Woman shot at anti-violence rally in Boynton Beach plans to sue city, attorney says
BOYNTON BEACH — A woman who was shot and wounded during a July 5 anti-violence rally at a Boynton Beach park has filed a notice of intent to sue the city, her attorney said Friday. Richard Ryles announced the pending lawsuit July 11 on behalf of Diamond Delk, one of three women shot and wounded when gunfire, reportedly between rival gangs, erupted at Sara Sims Park. Police investigators say the shootings occurred during an unsanctioned "Peace in the Hood" gathering of about 500 people. The city denied an organizer's request for a permit. But Ryles said that denial did not absolve the city of responsibility. "The city of Boynton has an ultimate responsibility for maintaining its property in a safe condition and they failed to do that," Ryles said during a news conference at the park, off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard east of Interstate 95. Ryles said Delk was shot in the hip and fractured her leg as she tried to escape the hail of bullets. He said Delk is recovering at home after receiving care at a hospital. She did not attend the news conference. Boynton Beach has six months to investigate before formal litigation can begin. A city police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The department had not announced any arrests as of July 11. Royal Palm fire: July 4 blaze costs family nearly everything: 'All I could do was just stand in disbelief' Ryles questioned the city's handling of the event. He said city police should have disbanded it since it was being held without a permit. "Other cities throughout Palm Beach County routinely take precautionary measures in response to unauthorized gatherings, including increased police patrols, public warnings, and proactive park closures," he said. "Boynton Beach did none of these things. Their inaction allowed an unlawful, high-risk event to unfold unchecked, placing hundreds of innocent lives in danger." He noted that several young children were present during the event and referenced videos posted to social media showing some of them fleeing from the gunfire. "Hopefully, this litigation will make Boynton Beach police do things differently in the future so that I don't have to see social media (videos of) toddlers running for their lives when they're out just having a day of fun with their families," he said. Measles in Florida: Doctors urge vaccinations, saying South Florida's two cases could grow City documents indicate a suburban Lake Worth Beach woman applied for the permit. She has not returned calls seeking comment. The city documents also show that a Boynton Beach police captain advised against approving the permit due to staffing concerns related to the Fourth of July holiday. Dedrick Straghn, president of the south county chapter of the NAACP, said police officers were present for a period of time, but did not intervene. Straghn said everyone knew that the event was unsanctioned except for the attendees. "I agree that not only did police not do their job, but the city did not do their job," Straghn said. "There was a police presence here. At that time, they should have known that event was not sanctioned and shut it down, but they didn't. They were here and then they left. They left these attendees here without protection." Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@ and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Woman shot during Boynton Beach anti-violence rally to file lawsuit
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Alleged gang shooting at Boynton Beach anti-violence rally leads to arrest of man, 19
A 19-year-old Boynton Beach man is facing criminal charges after police alleged he was involved in a July 5 shooting that wounded three people during an anti-violence rally at Sara Sims Park. Jamarion Petty is facing one count each of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery and discharging a firearm in public. During a hearing on July 13 at the Palm Beach County Jail, Circuit Judge Gregory Keyser assigned Petty a public defender and ordered that he be held without bail. As a policy, the county Public Defender's Office does not comment on open cases. Investigators say Petty fired shots from a small handgun during an apparent exchange of gunfire between rival gang members after hundreds had gathered for a "Peace in the Hood" rally at the park, off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard west of North Seacrest Boulevard. About 500 people attended the rally, including three women who sustained gunshot wounds when they were caught in crossfire, police said. Records show the event was not sanctioned and that city officials had denied the organizer's request for a permit in June. In court: Therapist sues PBSO, says she was left for dead as deputies debated entering rapist's home During a news conference at the park on July 11, an attorney for one of the shooting victims criticized the city's handling of the event, saying it had a duty to protect attendees even if the event was unsanctioned. The attorney, Richard Ryles of West Palm Beach, announced a pending lawsuit on behalf on Diamond Delk, who reportedly was shot in her left hip and suffered a fractured leg during the incident. "The city of Boynton has an ultimate responsibility for maintaining its property in a safe condition and they failed to do that," Ryles said during the news conference. In a statement provided by a police spokesperson, Boynton Beach disputed whether the shooting occurred on city-owned property. "The gathering that preceded the shooting was not organized, or sanctioned by the City of Boynton Beach or the City of Boynton Beach Police Department," the statement read. "While individuals may have been in the vicinity of Sara Sims Park, the initial investigation shows the shooting occurred outside the boundaries of City-owned property, not within the park itself." Measles in Florida: Doctors urge vaccinations, saying South Florida's two cases could grow According to Petty's arrest report, surveillance-camera video captured members of two groups — the "16th Ave Boys" and the "Cherry Hill Boyz" — in the vicinity of the park moments before the shooting. One group stood next the fence on the south side of the park, while the other was across the street near a church. The two group's acknowledged each other's presence before parties on both sides retrieved firearms from their waistbands and began shooting at each other, the report said. One man could reportedly be seen running north through the park as he fired shots to the south, in the direction of the church. Using investigative leads, police tentatively identified the man as Petty, the report said. On July 12, Petty voluntarily went to the police station after seeing himself in a "Be on the Lookout" alert. He told investigators he attended the rally by himself and drew his weapon after hearing gunfire. However, he was adamant that he did not fire the weapon, police said. Investigators then showed surveillance video that purportedly Petty discharging a firearm as he ran with another person. Petty disputed the clarity of the video and stated that he did not believe the person in the video was him, police said. He then requested an attorney, according to his arrest report. Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@ and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Man, 19, faces charges after shooting at Boynton anti-violence rally
