Antavious Scott

Antavious Scott, a 9-year-old Black boy affectionately known to his family as "TayTay," was a child full of life who loved playing football and video games. His grandmother, Teretha Williams, described him as a "gentle little giant" and a "soon-to-be star football player." His mother, Shanika Williams, remembered that his favorite thing was to ask if he could go to the store after school.

On the evening of November 16, 2024, Antavious was playing football with friends and family outside the Southpoint Crossing apartment complex on West Lucy Street in Florida City, Florida. Around 9:30 p.m., two groups of men reportedly exchanged gunfire near where the children were playing. Antavious was struck in the back by a bullet. He was airlifted to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries. Miami-Dade Police, who took over the investigation, confirmed that Antavious was not the intended target.

The shooting devastated Antavious's family and shook the community. Vigils were held where pastors, neighbors, and city officials gathered to pray and call for justice. His family pleaded for anyone with information to come forward, and a reward of $5,000 was offered for tips leading to an arrest. The investigation by the Miami-Dade Police Department led to the arrest of Montreal Savontae Jackson Jr., who was 19 at the time of the shooting.

Jackson was charged with second-degree murder with a weapon. On February 20, 2025, he entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. As the criminal case proceeds, Antavious's family has also sought accountability from the apartment complex.

In April 2025, the family announced they had filed a negligent security lawsuit against the owners and managers of Southpoint Crossing. The lawsuit alleges that the property had a known history of criminal activity and that the owners failed to provide adequate security, which the family's attorney argued made the tragedy preventable. They cited a broken front gate and the lack of a roving patrol as key failures. Antavious's mother and grandmother said they hoped the lawsuit would force security improvements to prevent another family from experiencing a similar loss. The family has since moved out of the apartment complex. As of April 2025, the criminal case against Jackson was ongoing.