ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A man convicted in connection with the deadly 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Day shooting in Fort Pierce received his sentence on Tuesday morning.
Kemmye Parson, 31, appeared in a St. Lucie County courtroom on May 19, where a judge sentenced him to two concurrent life sentences, plus an additional 15 years in prison.
According to court records, Parson received:
Life in prison on multiple counts, including a mandatory minimum term attached to one of those life sentencesA separate 15-year sentence, which includes a 3-year mandatory minimumAll major sentences will run concurrently
Parson was also credited with 1,160 days of time served since his 2023 arrest.
He was found guilty by a jury in February on charges including murder, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for his role in the mass shooting at Ilous Ellis Park.
Convicted gunman in deadly Fort Pierce MLK Day shooting set for sentencing. CBS12’s
The violence erupted on January 16, 2023, during a crowded MLK Day celebration. Investigators said a dispute between groups escalated into a fight, which then turned into gunfire in a park filled with families and children.
Twenty-nine-year-old Nikkitia Bryant was killed after being caught in the crossfire while attending the event with her daughter. Several others were also injured.

A man has been found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in a 2023 MLK Day shooting in Fort Pierce that killed a young mother. On Friday, Brian Workman, an assistant state attorney, confirmed that Kemmye Parson was convicted of first-degree murder with a firearm, attempted second-degree murder, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the killing of Nikkitia Bryant. (Courtesy of Nikkiti White/St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office)
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Tensions remained high in the courtroom during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing. A fight broke out between members of the victim’s family and the defendant’s family, prompting deputies to intervene and restore order.
Parson has remained in custody since his arrest and will continue serving his sentence in state prison.
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Bryant’s family has been present throughout the court process, seeking justice and closure more than three years after the shooting that shook the Fort Pierce community.