Two more men are facing charges in connection to a July 5 shooting that occurred during an anti-violence rally at Sara Sims Park in Boynton Beach.
Police this week arrested Kenneth Hollis, 25, and Javon Johnson, Jr., 19, on charges that include attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and discharging a firearm in public.
Three women sustained injuries in the crossfire, which police allege began as a confrontation between members of rival gangs at an event that drew about 500 people.
During separate court hearings the Palm Beach County Jail on July 17 and July 18, County Judge Lourdes Casanova assigned both men public defenders and ordered that they be held without bail on the attempted murder charges.
As a policy, the county Public Defender’s Office does not comment on open cases.
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Investigators say Hollis and Johnson were involved in the exchange of gunfire as the crowd gathered for a “Peace in the Hood” rally at the park, off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard west of North Seacrest Boulevard.
Another man, 19-year-old Jamarion Petty, was arrested July 12 in connection to the shooting and is facing similar charges. A judge also ordered him to be held without bail.
Records show the city had not sanctioned the event and had denied the organizer’s request for a permit in June. The organizer, listed in city paperwork as a suburban Lake Worth Beach woman, has not returned a call seeking comment.
Attorney Richard Ryles says that he is filing a lawsuit against the city of Boynton Beach on behalf of his client Diamond Delk who was shot in the hip and fractured her leg during an unsanctioned event at Sara Sims Park on July 5. He held a press conference at the park on July 11, 2025 in Boynton Beach, Florida.
An attorney for one of the shooting victims announced plans to file a lawsuit against Boynton Beach, saying the city failed to provide adequate protection for those gathered at the rally.
During a news conference at the park on July 11, attorney Richard Ryles said he would take the action on behalf of Diamond Delk, identified as one of the shooting victims.
“The city of Boynton has an ultimate responsibility for maintaining its property in a safe condition and they failed to do that,” he said.
Boynton Beach officials have disputed whether the shooting occurred on city-owned property, saying that it occurred outside of the boundaries of the park.
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Hollis’ arrest report states that two witnesses identified him as one of the shooters. Investigators say he has a long, documented history of being affiliated with a gang known as the “Cherry Hill Boyz.”
According to Johnson’s arrest report, he was seen on surveillance-camera video standing near a fence on the south side of the park. He was identified by distinctive tattoos on his neck and left forearm. He has a documented affiliation with a gang known as the “16the Ave Boys,” police said.
Investigators say surveillance video showed Johnson recklessly firing a small handgun in the direction of a nearby church as he ran from the area, at times firing without looking in the direction of where he was shooting.
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Two more arrested in shooting at Boynton Beach anti-violence rally