PLANT CITY, Fla. — Community members gathered at McCall Park in Plant City on Mother's Day to honor the lives of two mothers and two children shot and killed one week ago, as frustration grows over the lack of information from Plant City Police.
Over a dozen people prayed for Hailey Dempsey, her mother, and two children whose names Tampa Bay 28 independently confirmed through local sources and public records.
WATCH: Plant City community mourns quadruple murder victims, demands answers
Luisa Ruiz said she organized a remembrance ceremony for a community that is still grieving. She said she's lived here all her life and has never witnessed a tragedy this devastating. And while she did not personally know Dempsey, she said she wants to offer support to mothers who feel overwhelmed by the loss.
"The reason that I wanted to open an invitation for the community to meet in person is because I know that it would probably affect a lot of people in different ways - maybe they could see themselves in the mother or the mother of the mother that passed, or even the innocent children that were victims as well," Ruiz said.
Many came out and mourned the loss of this Plant City family.
"It is earth-shattering that that could happen so close in our community to someone that I feel like was in all the right spaces. She was in all the mothers' spaces," Ariel Woods, a family acquaintance, said.
Attendees expressed anger and frustration with the Plant City Police Department for withholding the identities of victims and information about a person of interest.
Plant City resident Hayley Milks, who said she was once a victim of domestic violence, said she believes more protections should have been in place — especially given that Plant City Police confirmed a domestic incident occurred at the same home just one day before the family was killed.
"What's most frustrating is that it's been a week and there's still no named person of interest, and I feel like the police department and the city is sort of tiptoeing around the obvious, and they did the same exact thing with my case," Milks said.
Milks also spoke to the importance of acknowledging the victims by name.
"If we don't say their names, then they just become something that never existed," Milks said.
Woods echoed that sentiment, calling on the city to provide answers.
"With all the outrage that we're feeling, I feel like patience is so hard — we are still waiting for answers, and I feel like Plant City deserves answers," Woods said.
On Friday, the Plant City Police Department said the case remains an active investigation with no updates yet.
Community members said they plan to take action, with some indicating they intend to attend the city council meeting set for Monday night at 6 p.m.
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