POLK COUNTY, Fla. — After an extensive four-day, around-the-clock investigation, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the arrests of four people in connection to the murder of 15-year-old Quashawn Burgess, Jr.
Rashan Harris II of Bartow, Lilia Gonzalez of Winter Haven, Jase Govia of Winter Haven, and Pierre Sauveur of Winter Haven all face a slew of charges. According to the sheriff’s office, all of the suspects have extensive arrest histories.
“These folks have been in prison; they’ve been in jail. They've all got criminal histories, and at the end of the day, we have a 15-year-old kid that’s dead,” said Judd.
Investigators said the 15-year-old was part of a gang. His death is just one of several deadly shootings happening in the Tampa Bay area in the span of a few days.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested in Riverview on Saturday after authorities said he shot and killed his mother and injured her boyfriend.
In St. Petersburg, a 15-year-old is in the hospital after police said he was shot by a 16-year-old early Sunday morning.
The Vice President of Development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County, Ashley Ray, tells ABC Action News this is why their after-school program exists.
“There’s a lot going on in the world, and kids need to know that there’s opportunities and hope and there’s a different path that they can take,” said Ray.
Ray said most juvenile crimes happen between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., the same time students attend the Boys & Girls Club. The mentorship program guides kids into becoming successful members of their community.
“It takes a village. If you’ve ever had a teenager, as a parent, those teen years can be difficult on parents. So, knowing that there are resources and that they’re not in it alone with their kids,” said Ray.
The Boys & Girls Clubs serves thousands of Polk County youth annually. Still, Ray said more programs that provide positive role models are needed to keep kids off the streets.
“We serve about 3,000 annually, but that’s not even the tipping point of what Polk County needs. We're actually in the process of opening up our 10th location that will focus primarily on middle-schoolers to start with because there is such a big need, especially for those teenage years,” said Ray.
