ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg police say they are still looking for the person who fired shots into a crowd at a park and hurt three people on Sunday.
The shooting struck a chord for a father who lost his son to gun violence.
"It brings back the trauma," Maress Scott said.
Maress Scott's youngest son, Marquis Scott, was shot and killed while riding his bike in St. Petersburg in 2019. He died at the age of 20, which is around the same range as those harmed in Sunday's shooting.
Police said the shooting took place just before 4 a.m. at the Jet Jackson Recreation Center parking lot. The suspect drove up to a crowd of forty or fifty young adults and fired shots.
Two women, ages 20 and 22, are facing critical injuries at the hospital, while a man was hurt with a non-life-threatening injury, according to police.
Maress Scott said losing a child affects not just the immediate parents, but the people who helped raise the child. From siblings to neighbors and even coaches.
"It changes your life forever. It will never ever be the same," Maress Scott said. "You're losing dad's dreams, mom's hopes, all of mom's peace of mind. Little brothers' and sisters' hero."
Since he lost Marquis, Scott started "Quis For Life, Inc." in his honor. He has since spent time educating the youth in the local community about gun violence and urging others to take a pledge to put the weapons down.
The end goal: To stop the shots.
Since its launch, Maress Scott has been able to partner with other organizations. He believes it will key measures like racial equity and inclusion in schools, along with more mental health counselors available for students to stop the shootings.
Law enforcement agencies have stressed to the public to say something if they see something. Maress Scott believes that the "no snitching" culture must change in order to prevent more lives from being lost.
"Anytime we see somebody with a gun, we tell them to get away from it and tell someone else about it," Maress Scott said. "No one has the right to ask you to risk your family's peace."
Maress Scott said it comes down to personal accountability for the safety of the entire community as a whole.
While his youngest son isn't here anymore, he feels some relief knowing his legacy is helping prevent others from dying from gun violence.
"We're making a difference because of Marquis," Maress Scott said.