2 killed after being shot on Sunrise Blvd. near I-95 ramp
FORT LAUDERDALE - A man and woman who were shot while in a luxury SUV near Interstate 95 that was riddled with bullets early Tuesday have both died, authorities said.
Vernaldo Donner, 22, and Terri McKenzie, 21, both of Deerfield Beach, died after being rushed to Broward Health Medical Center. Each victim had been listed in critical condition but were later pronounced dead.
According to police, it appears the shooting happened on W. Sunrise Boulevard just before the ramp to northbound I-95 around 2:30 a.m. The driver of the Mercedes-Benz SUV drove onto the ramp before stopping.
When officers arrived, they found the pair inside the SUV.
The vehicle had at least a dozen bullet holes, including from one that pierced the driver's side window.
The Florida Highway Patrol said their search of the intersection turned up 18 shell casings on the ramp and Sunrise Boulevard.
Fort Lauderdale police and the Florida Highway Patrol closed the ramp during the investigation.
Westbound traffic on W Sunrise Boulevard between NW 16th Avenue and the northbound I-95 entry ramp was also shut down, reopening 11 hours later..
According to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, both victims were inside the 2017 Mercedes Benz GLC 300 when they were targeted by gunfire.
Investigators said the shooting began on West Sunrise Boulevard as they were entering I-95's northbound lanes but the gunfire continued along the ramp.
Igancio Alvarez, a retired major from the Miami-Dade Police Department, told CBS News Miami that it is critical that witnesses come forward to help sold these type of roadway shootings.
"It's an old cliché," he said. "If you see something, say something. One of the biggest issues I had when I was in law enforcement was people are scared to get involved."
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there have been 10 highway shooting in Miami-Dade and five in Broward County for the first three months of the year.
Alvarez said if traffic cameras recorded video, it would be a huge investigative tool.
As for drivers, he suggested taking it easy if you're stressed out on the road.
"We just got to take a breath and avoid taking out your rage on other drivers," Alvarez said. "You simply do not know who the other driver is or what their mental state is or if they're armed."
Investigators asked anyone with information about the double murder to call Detective Thomas Taylor at 954-828-6673.