Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School Student Killed
MIAMI GARDENS (CBSMiami) -- Police were investigating, Thursday, after a teenager was gunned down in Miami Gardens.
"It don't make sense at all for them to take peoples children like this," said Doris Johnson in tears.
Johnson said she heard around a dozen gunshots and found a young boy dead on her front lawn. "I heard a lot of gun shooting then I heard my fence shaking then I heard more gun shooting. I looked out my door and I saw a boy's body."
Police said 16-year-old Zamari Pierre Louis was shot multiple times just before 8:00 Wednesday night on NW 18th Avenue and 160th Street.
"He must have died trying to jump my fence," said Johnson.
Classmates at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School describe the freshman as a spontaneous, outspoken and hard-working young man.
"He was nice, he tried really hard at school, said Gabriela Leyva. "He was always laughing about anything, he would just laugh," she added.
"He was just a really fun, outgoing person," said student Alissa Riley. "You heard him before you saw him, just the type of person he was, would always uplift the room."
Friends and church members say they don't understand who would want to hurt Zamari.
"He was a good kid he wasn't one that was on the streets he always was trying to help people around the church, said Bernard Ancrum who attended church with Zamari. "He would do his little mischief with kids, what kids do, but he wasn't a bad kid to be taken out like that."
The school had counselors available Thursday for grieving students.
"He was a real cool dude, he would dance a lot, he was fun to chill with, said Zamari's friend Leterrick Avery. "He gonna be greatly missed."
Miami-Dade Schools superintendent Alberto Carvalho sent a message to CBS4's Gaby Fleischman saying: "Incredible tragedy. One more time and in a senseless way the innocence of our community is shattered by gun violence."
Police still don't know who murdered the teen or why.
"They just need to turn themselves in and stop all this violence," said Johnson. "This world is cruel."
If you have any information call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS. You can remain anonymous and be eligible for up to $3,000 reward.