Days Before His Birthday, Man Killed In Little Havana
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Police responding to a 911 call heard gunshots nearby in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood Tuesday morning.
Police said they were responding to an unrelated call around 2:20 a.m. near 777 NW 1st Street when the shots rang out.
They searched the area looking for a possible crime scene and found a man shot multiple times near NW 8th Street and 1st Avenue.
Fire Rescue pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Police have identified the man killed as Pedro Lazaro Blanco who was just 4 days shy of his 39th birthday.
A woman who gave only her first name, Sandra, when shown Blanco's photo, said she had seen him around the neighborhood but did not know him.
"I want to get out of this neighborhood. That's what I want to do, I want to get out. It's not safe around here anymore," the woman said, adding that the sound of gunfire is an almost nightly occurrence.
Charly Louis who is renting a vacation apartment in a nearby building was awakened by the gunfire Tuesday morning.
"And so I jump," said Louis. "It was like very quick one back to back."
According to county records, Blanco has a criminal history which includes cocaine possession among other charges dating back to the 90s.
A motive for the shooting is unknown at this time.
Police have not released any information on a possible suspect.
Anyone with information is urged to call (305) 471-TIPS. Tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $3,000 if a tip leads to an arrest.