2 Men Shot Outside Miami Gardens Fast Food Restaurant
MIAMI GARDENS (CBSMiami) – Miami Gardens Police are investigating a double shooting outside a fast food restaurant that left two men critically wounded Friday.
According to investigators, Michael Sexton, 23, and another man that a police press release identified as Martrell Brown, 26, were gunned down in the Mercedes SUV while in the drive-thru lane at the McDonald's Restaurant on NW 27 Ave. and 182 St. in Miami Gardens.
Both men were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
Sexton's relatives gathered outside the Ryder Trauma Center looking for answers.
"Why him? That's the million dollars question. Why him?" asked Brittany Sexton.
"Right now, I'm feeling bad," she told CBS4's Peter D'Oench. "Nobody deserves this regardless of what he did in the past. We are at a loss to figure out what is going on. He has tubes in him so he can breathe.
Just come forward if you know something. If you had a family member like this, you would want someone to come forward."
As of Friday night, no arrests had been made.
This double shooting happened just about 32 hours after a deadly drive-by shooting at a Miami Gardens home just a few miles away.
One of the bullets hit and killed 12-year old Tequila Forshee who was inside getting her hair done for school.
"At this point in the stage of the investigation I do not think they're connected, however, we are conducting our investigation," said Miami Gardens Police Det. Michael Wright.
Despite recent violence in Miami Gardens, Mayor Oliver Gilbert said crime has been trending down in recent years.
"The story of Miami Gardens in the last five years is actually a positive story," Mayor Gilbert told CBS 4's Lauren Pastrana. "It's 40% down in crime. But as of late, we've had true tragedies."
To help prevent future tragedies, Mayor Gilbert said Miami Gardens is hiring more officers and increasing its community policing efforts.
The city is also establishing a fund on Monday to pay people for tips, similar to Crimestoppers.
"There's that underlying culture where people don't want to snitch," Gilbert said. "But we need you to tell. Because there aren't a lot of bad people in Miami Gardens, but the bad people are giving us a bad name."
Gilbert expressed his grief over the recent death of Tequlia Forshee.
"We continue to work to make this a safe city," Gilbert said. "Yes, we're going to have problems. But it should never be like this."
Anyone with information about the double shooting on Friday or the death of Forshee should contact Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
You can remain anonymous.
A useful tip could be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.
