Pine Hills Community Town Hall

A Focus On Safety While Remembering Victims Of Community Violence

TOWN HALL EVENT PHOTO CREDIT: KASSANNDRA MARIA SANTIAGO

Pine Hills residents gathered in February for a community town hall event focused on making

their neighborhood safer. Held at Kingdom Church on North Pine Hills Road, the event

came more than two years after a tragic shooting claimed the lives of three people: Natacha

Augustin, 9-year-old T’Yonna Major, and Spectrum News reporter Dylan Lyons.

The meeting served as both a space for grieving and a platform to discuss solutions to crime related challenges in the community.

A key goal of the town hall was to foster better communication between law enforcement and

residents. Attendees sought strategies to enhance preparedness and response efforts during

crises. One major concern raised was the delicate balance between over-policing and underprotection in Pine Hills.

Residents voiced their frustrations and desire to feel secure without being unfairly targeted.

Additionally, several attendees noted the absence of visible representation from the Orange

County Sheriff's Office at the event, further fueling concerns about community engagement.

Orlando attorney Mark Nejame, who represents one of the victims' families, has filed a lawsuit

alleging that deputies were too slow to respond to the scene. "What’s important is that we

don’t develop a culture of complacency—where Pine Hills is seen as just another place where

violence happens, leading to only minimal efforts instead of real action," Nejame said.

One of the most discussed proposals at the event was the idea of Pine Hills becoming its

own municipality with its own security force—a topic also explored in this issue. Orange County Commissioner Mike Scott acknowledged the conversation but emphasized that such a change would be complex.

The discussion underscored the need for continued dialogue, more community input, and

increased collaboration with law enforcement. Pine Hills's future depends on the collective

voice of its residents as they work to shape a safer and stronger community.