After living in the Lincoln Park neighborhood for 25 years, Lestermarie Cox says scenes like Sunday night break her heart.
Cox lives right across the street from Lincoln Park Regional Park - where she says hundreds gathered for food and fun that evening.
However, she says something was off.
“Normally it's a good event. But yesterday it's just too many people,” she says.
At around 7:45, gunshots broke out, sending the crowd scrambling.
Two men were shot - 30 year old Diamond Kindrick and 31 year old Tovarius Thompson.
Both men died at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center.
“It was just an unfortunate thing that happened,” Cox says. “They have had gunfire [there] before.”
Some worry there will be gunfire again.
Police say they are stepping up patrol in the area, as the summer heat tends to raise tensions.
“The numbers typically tick upward during the summer, that is true,” says Fort Pierce police spokesman Ed Cunningham. “Whether or not this is gang related, I can't say yet.”
Complicating matters, Cunningham say witnesses have been slow to come forward.
“There were a lot of people out there…we're confident people must've seen something,” he says.
With that hope from police, Lestermarie has a hope of her own.
“Love each other, embrace each other, and have faith.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at (800) 273-8477.
EARLIER STORY
Two men are dead after a shooting at a park in Fort Pierce Sunday night.
Detectives said it happened just around 7:45 p.m. at Lincoln Park Regional Park at 13th Street and Avenue O.
Police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
"A lot of people were out here, but they haven't come forward to us yet," says Ed Cunningham with the Fort Pierce Police Department.
Police said the victims were Fort Pierce residents Diamond Kindrick, 30, and Torvarius Thompson, 31. Both men were transported to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, where both died of their injuries.
Detectives are working to determine the details of the shooting, as well as the motive and the suspects, which have been described as two black men.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at (800) 273-8477.
