A local organization is helping those families dealing with the loss of family members.
“When they come in that door, I can see in their eyes the hurt, the grief, the pain,” said Beverly McClain with Families of Slain Children.
It’s a look McClain sees often.
“I know it’s been in the thousands,” said McClain.
That’s how many families she said she has helped over the years in our area alone.
“It’s not easy. You got to explain it to them, then you have to help them go through this process,” McClain said.
It’s a process she’s familiar with. Her son Andre Lynn Johnson was shot and killed.
“June 23, 2005, and still no answers,” McClain said.
McClain said she’s like many families here in Jacksonville, who have lost loved ones and are still waiting for answers.
Tracy Bryant is one of those people.
“They just started shooting at him. They didn’t know the people they were shooting at. They shot all up the car,” Bryant said.
Bryant lost her son, 37-year old Robert Bryant, last September. Action News Jax was at the scene that night. Police say someone shot both Bryant and his wife while they were at the intersection of Kings Road and Interstate 95. His wife survived but Bryant didn’t.
“I just need some closure; let me know what happened and why?” Bryant said.
JSO said detectives are working this case. Recently, Sheriff Mike Williams and Mayor Lenny Curry asked for 100 more officers. McClain said she believes JSO should assign more officers to help solve those cases.