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Teenagers asked to stop violence

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By SARAH HOYE

shoye@tampatrib.com

Published: September 20, 2009

BRADENTON - The recent shooting deaths of two teenagers prompted teens and school board officials Saturday to organize a violence awareness rally at Johnson Middle School in Bradenton.

Saturday's rally provided a place for nearly 100 teens to talk about the shooting deaths of teenagers Jazmine Thompson of Bayshore High and Dejuan Williams, a recent Bayshore graduate, and consider solutions. The discussion was hosted by Manatee County Commission chairwoman Gwen Brown and Manatee County School Board member Barbara Harvey.

"I buried 178 kids in my 20 years of ministry ... I'm done, I'm sick of it," Jerry Parrish of Manatee County YMCA said. "What we're asking today is to take responsibility for doing right."

Speakers encouraged the teens to do the right thing, even if it means helping police.

"It's time to make a difference," said Reggie Bellamy, the State College of Florida basketball coach. "Its time for us to stand up and say this is not right."

Photojournalist Indira LeVine and WFLA reporter Peter Bernard contributed to this report. Reporter Sarah Hoye can be reached at (813) 259-7832.

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