Anti-Violence Activist Demands More Be Done As Shootings Continue In NW Miami-Dade
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Miami-Dade community activist is speaking out about the rise in gun violence, calling for more to be done as innocent children keep getting caught in the crossfire.
Just this weekend, there was a shooting at a northwest Miami-Dade 7-Eleven that injured two men and a 7-year-old.
This is the second shooting involving a child in the past few weeks.
Just two weeks ago, 6-year-old Chassidy Saunders was killed while playing at a birthday party.
Police said she was gunned down behind the burger king on NW 6th Place and 55th Avenue. That shooting also left two adults injured.
Witnesses have told police the gunman fled in a black vehicle, but to this day no arrests have been made.
The family, who CBS4 spoke to last week, said their daughter full of life.
"We just pray the community comes together and say something because if it was your loved one, your child, you would do the same thing," said Charles Saunders.
"She was only 6 years old. She did not deserve it. She was an innocent child. She had just turned 6," said Shatoya Taylor.
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Just last Monday, before 6 in the morning, police found a man shot and killed on NW 21st Avenue and 65th Street.
Miami-Dade police said the shooter or shooters drove away.
Over the last two weeks, a total of three shootings have occurred in the northwest Miami-Dade.
And since the month of November, 17 people have been shot in the area.
"I feel horrible. It is painful. And anyone that has lost a child, of course it brings back memories," said anti-violence activist Tangela Sears.
Sears lost her own son years ago to senseless violence.
"The sad thing is no one that shoot are kids are caught," she said. "And we know somebody knows something."
Sears said more needs to be done.
"We need to demand that our mayor and county commissioners find our investigation department. If they need more bodies, give them more bodies. If they need overtime, give them overtime. That goes for any county or city that we are having shootings and killings," she said.
If you have information on any of these shootings, please call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.