Daytona Beach community comes together for unity picnic

Daytona Beach community unites after officer shot

After an officer was shot in the head, the community of Daytona Beach is holding a picnic on Saturday to bring unity.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A diverse group of Daytona Beach residents is looking to put the "unity" in "community."

"I think we need things like this all throughout our community," said Byron Cogdell, who was at the gathering.

Saturday’s community picnic was made possible by two men, Willy Williams and Brooks Tomblin. "Just an idea to bring the community closer together. When I discussed that with a friend he said I needed to talk to Willie Williams. I made the call, Willy jumped on board, and the rest his history," Tomblin said.

They decided to hold the event in the aftermath of the shooting of Daytona Beach police officer Jason Raynor. Raynor remains in critical condition at Halifax Health Hospital after police say Othal Wallace shot him in the head. Police say Raynor is making good progress in his recovery but he has a long road ahead of him. Organizers of today's event say the city needs to heal.

"I was very happy to join him. I'm born and raised in Daytona Beach, I love Daytona Beach. If it's about bringing people of different, races, cultures, and backgrounds together, then I'm all in," Williams said.

The men organized the whole event in less than a week. Despite the cloudy skies, people at the gathering say it's important to bridge the racial divide in Daytona Beach.

"We've been wanting this, praying for this," Cogdell said, "these are just little sparks that I think can start a fire of unity throughout our city."

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