Miami-Dade Police searching for shooter who killed 9-year-old boy in Florida City
MIAMI – Miami-Dade Police are searching for the shooter who killed a 9-year-old boy at a Florida City apartment complex on Saturday night.
Around 9:36 p.m., police units were dispatched to Southpoint Crossing Apartments along W. Lucy Street in response to a multiple gunshot alert, the agency said.
Neighbor Edwin Rivera said he heard the moment when 9-year-old Antavious Scott was shot.
"In that moment I heard one gunshot. It was one and it was very strong. And then it was a lot like 15 or 20 shots," Rivera said.
After the loud bang, multiple 911 calls of a person shot were received, according to police. Officers arrived to find the child unresponsive and with at least one gunshot wound.
"It's a juvenile gunshot wound to the abdomen, 865 West Lucy Street," said a 911 radio dispatcher.
Officers rendered aid to the boy until an ambulance arrived. Paramedics airlifted the child to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Miami-Dade Police Homicide Bureau has taken over the investigation.
Police said that the boy was outside of the Southpoint Crossing apartment complex with a group of people when shots were fired and he was hit. But police have not said whether any arrests have been made.
Rivera said the gunshots are a familiar noise due to the gun violence in the area.
"I'm used to hearing it," Rivera said.