Six people were shot and wounded when gunmen armed with long rifles circled a crowd at a Sanford, Florida park over the weekend, with three victims still hospitalized including two in critical condition as police urgently seek public assistance to identify the shooters.
Armed Attackers Circle Park Crowd
The shooting unfolded Saturday at Coastline Park in Sanford’s Goldsboro neighborhood when witnesses reported seeing shooters armed with long guns driving around a crowd multiple times before opening fire. An eyewitness provided details to police about the attack, though the witness declined to give a written statement or allow officers to record the information, according to an incident report released Monday night by the Sanford Police Department.
Three victims remain hospitalized following the attack, with two fighting for their lives in critical condition and another stabilized. The other three victims have been released from medical care. Police Chief Cecil Smith made a direct appeal to the community during a press conference, emphasizing that solving the case depends on witnesses coming forward with information.
Police Chief Demands Community Action
“People know what took place,” Chief Smith told reporters. “People know who these shooters are. People need to be more involved.” His frustration reflected the challenge law enforcement faces when witnesses in communities affected by violence remain silent. The lack of cooperation from the initial eyewitness who spoke to police highlights the obstacles investigators encounter when trying to hold shooters accountable and prevent future attacks.
Neighborhood Plagued By Violence
City records have repeatedly identified the Goldsboro community where the shooting occurred as a public safety risk, most recently during the 2024-2025 budget cycle. A 2018 city report painted a stark picture of the neighborhood’s challenges, stating that “the Goldsboro community has higher than average crime rates when compared to the City of Sanford as a whole” and noting the area “stands out as challenged by public safety issues” across all criminal offense categories.
The violence statistics are sobering. Between 2013 and 2016, eight of the seventeen documented murders within Sanford city limits occurred in the Goldsboro community, representing nearly half of all homicides despite the neighborhood being just one section of the larger city. Mayor Art Woodruff acknowledged Saturday’s shooting as another tragedy while pointing to multiple initiatives the city has implemented, including mentorship programs, youth services, revitalization efforts, and housing security measures designed to address the community’s ongoing public safety challenges.