A Sarasota man will spend the rest of his life in prison for a shooting that stunned North Jetty Park. Franklin Raybon Jr. was sentenced to life without parole this week for first-degree murder with a firearm in the death of Octavious Cummings Jr., following a four-day trial that ended Oct. 29 with additional convictions for attempted second-degree murder and child abuse.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, Raybon and Cummings fought briefly before Raybon got into a car with his girlfriend and their 7-month-old daughter. He fired shots from inside the vehicle, then fired 11 more rounds over the car roof. Cummings died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the chest. Raybon fled and was arrested two days later. The park was crowded with adults and children at the time, many of them in the line of fire. Sentencing on the remaining counts is set for a later date.
North Jetty is one of Sarasota County’s most beloved spots, a place for fishing, sunsets, and family afternoons. That a deadly shooting happened there, in front of families, is the part many neighbors are still processing. A life sentence closes this case, but the conversation about safety at our public parks isn’t over. Where do you stand? Let us know in the comments.
