Seminole Heights shooting victim leaves legacy of service

TAMPA, Fla. - He was shot and killed back in November, the fourth person allegedly gunned down by the Seminole Heights Serial Killer. But Ronald Felton left a legacy, and now a local church is honoring him.

Twice a week, Ronnie would get up early and head to New Season Apostolic Ministries on Nebraska Avenue to help feed those less fortunate at the food bank. The 60-year-old was actually on his way to volunteer the morning he was murdered.          

Four months later, the pantry is now re-named in Ronnie’s memory.  The big, brand new sign just went up last week.  The Ronnie Felton Food Pantry is now open for business.

"When they text that to me I was at work and I yelled, and one of the girls thought maybe I had done fell or something happened, she came in and I said child they honoring my brother, I said that's good," Ronnie’s older sister, Tina Felton said.

She had no clue the name change was in the works.  Tina call's the gesture a blessing, a clear sign Ronnie impacted a lot of lives.

But it's also bittersweet.         

"I just wish he was alive to see it," said Tina.  "To see how people felt about him."

The sign reads ‘In memory of The "Superman of Service."’  Ronnie was a dedicated volunteer at the food bank for more than 10 years.

"He touched so many people's hearts, if he had it he would help you," Ronnie’s nephew Florian Felton said.

The man accused of killing Ronnie and three others in the area still sits behind bars.  Loved ones want justice, but choose to celebrate the man who turned his life around to give back, rather than hate the one who pulled the trigger.

"Even having this for him is not gonna bring him back," said Tina.  "But it makes me feel good to see I was not the only person that liked my brother, that cared for my brother.  Allot of other people cared for him as much as I did, or more."

This weekend the church is holding a community BBQ and canned food drive for the Ronnie Felton Food Pantry.  The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.           

Church leaders will also be raising money to start a scholarship in Ronnie’s name.