Miami, January 17 (RHC)-- Celebrations in the United States to remember the legacy of renowned civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. have been overshadowed by a mass shooting at a rally in Miami, Florida.  The shooting took place on Monday afternoon, when gunmen opened fire on people near Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park and wounded 8 people.

According to the Miami-Dade police department, the wounded included five minors and 3 adults aged between 11 and 30 years.  Police said one victim, a 20-year-old man, was in critical condition but most of the victims, including two 11 and 13-year-old girls, were expected to recover.  A number of other people were injured as the result of a stampede out of the park, The Miami Herald reported.

The incident happened after the end of the Pan-African & Caribbean Family Festival, which was held to honor MLK’s birthday on the third Monday of January.  Police evacuated the park after the shooting and arrested two armed suspects.  However, officials said it was not clear if there were any other suspects at large.

It was not clear if there were any connections between the shooting and the festival, which was held after the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade, one of the many similar events across the country on Monday.

This year’s MLK Day has coincided with the transition from the administration of President Barack Obama, the first Black U.S. president, to the incoming administration of Donald Trump, whose racist campaign rhetoric has stoked concern among minorities.