Residents remain on edge after several Sarasota shootings
SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — Sarasota police arrested three people in connection with two recent shooting investigations, but it’s little comfort to a community that’s seen several shootings in less than a week.
22-year-old Franklin Raybon Jr. turned himself in Tuesday. He is charged with second-degree murder.
Deputies said, Raybon is the only suspect in Sunday’s shooting that left a 25-year-old dead.
His arrest came as Sarasota police announced a break in yet another shooting case, one that ended with a 28-year-old dead on Thursday.
“Sarasota police arrested a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old around 5:00 last night,” Sarasota Police Department public information officer Cynthia McLaughlin said.
But even with three people now behind bars, some residents are still on edge.
Edward White said he keeps his head on a swivel.
White finds the uptick in gun violence is concerning, saying that shooting last Thursday happened just one street over from his house.
“It makes me feel bad,” he said. “Unsafe.”
“I didn’t know until the next day that somebody got shot and killed,” he said.
Gunfire also erupted at a Sarasota strip mall Saturday. Deputies said, 24-year-old Tommie Battie was killed.
His brother, Brian, and three others were then rushed to nearby hospitals.
“It speaks to a larger issue that plagues our community,” the brothers’ cousin and Sarasota City Commissioner Kyle Battie said. “Gun violence touches us all.”
Anyone with information on any of these shootings is asked to contact law enforcement.
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