14-year-old Club Blu shooting survivor: 'It was devastating'

Alanna Campbell's right leg is bandaged.

The 14-year-old will hobble around on crutches until the bullet wound she sustained during a Monday morning shooting at Club Blu, a Fort Myers club on Evans Avenue, heals. Alanna was one of many who attended a prayer vigil at the Quality Life Center in Fort Myers Thursday.

She went to the teen party hosted at the club with her family and friends Sunday night. More than 10 were with her when shooters targeted the crowd in the club's parking lot. The shooting killed 14-year-old Sean Archilles and 18-year-old Stef'An Strawder, a local basketball star. About 17 others were injured, including two who remain in serious condition at Lee Memorial Hospital.

"We were just outside talking and people started shooting," Alanna said. "It was crazy. It was devastating."

Babe Taylor, Alanna's aunt, was also there when it happened, Taylor said. She said she dropped to the ground when the shots rang out, but the younger kids, like Alanna, ran. The family has now had to teach their young kids what to do in case of another shooting, she said.

"Even though we shouldn't have to educate them on this," she said, " we do now.

"We were protected by God."

Prayers

The family gathered with about 200 hundred others to listen to city officials speak and religious leaders pray.

But, "we cannot merely pray," said Rabbi Marc Sack, of the Temple Judea.

Jarrett Eady, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Southwest Florida, echoed that statement. In his speech to the audience, he challenged city leaders to act instead of offering words that ring hollow. He said he's been to his share of prayer vigils, but nothing ever changes.

"What do you do next," Eady said. "We've had enough of talking. They (Strawder and Archilles) could have been our children."

Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson made an impassioned plea for people to step forward and provide information to police. Three people of interest were detained and arrested after the shooting for fleeing from police, but no further charges have been leveled at them.

"I am begging you," he said. "Help us. If you've got information, I know it's scary."

But, Henderson said, stomp out the fear and have the courage to come forward.

Angel Escobar, who lives in Dunbar, said she wants people from her community to be proactive.

"Look around here, a lot of these people are not from our community," the 17-year-old said. "They don't see our people actively standing up for the community."

Fort Myers Councilwoman Teresa Watkins-Brown said it was time for community members to step up and be mentors for young people.

"Faith without work is dead," she said.

'Keep it together'

Fort Myers police officer Yvetta Dominique lectured a group of kids, all participants in her Young LEO (Leaders Educating Others) program run by the Fort Myers Police Department. Some of the kids are from the Oasis Shelter, a home for troubled teens run by the Lutheran Services Program.

"This is about two other people that lost their lives," Dominique tells the children before the vigil begins. "This is not about you tonight. If someone pisses you off, I need you to keep it together."

Though her kids are not part of the Quality Life Center, she said it was important to bring them to the vigil.

"My whole thing that I want them to understand is that two kids in their age group lost their lives," she said.

This is how you get kids invested in their future, Dominique said.

James Smith, a youth care specialist at the Oasis shelter, agrees. It's difficult to get through sometimes, but it's worth a try, he said.

"This is bigger than themselves and that's the whole point of bringing them," Smith said. "It's more than just gun violence in the city. As young kids they can change if they come together."