Great-Grandmother In Stable Condition After Being Shot While Checking Mail
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Loved ones are speaking out as a great-grandmother is nearly killed in a drive-by in Northwest Miami-Dade.
"My mom didn't deserve because she was just getting her mail from the mailbox, getting her mail normally like she always did," said Rhonda Butler, the victim's daughter.
That woman is fighting for her life after those shots were fired. A teenager was also wounded.
Family members are trying to understand how the elderly woman was caught up in this.
They say Louise Lester, 67, was getting her mail when it happened.
On Friday, which checking her mail, shots were fired from a car driving by and Lester was struck in the chest.
An 18-year-old boy was wounded.
"She got her mail and she was going back home and here is where it happened," said Joe Johnson, Lester's son-in-law.
Lester was a longtime public schools cafeteria worker and was most recently at North Miami Senior High School, says her family. She had a daily routine.
"Her normal activity, she would get up and cook and clean and take care of her great grandchildren and see what she got in the mail and BAM, she done got shot," said Johnson.
Eighteen year old Malik Wilson was shot in the leg.
"An older lady, 67 years old. She was going to get her mail out of her mail box and all of a sudden," said Johnson. "I mean she's got grandchildren and thank God, her grandkids were not with her."
Mami-Dade Police say it happened just before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon at northwest 25th Avenue and 65th Street.
"I really feel they need to get that person," said Butler.
The shooter fled in a white, older model Toyota Camry.
"Whoever did it needs to come forward and have respect for yourself because my mom didn't deserve that," said Butler. "She was just going to her mailbox and getting her mail normally as she always did."
Police are trying to figure out what prompted this drive by.
"I feel terrible about it because there's so much chaos going on for no reason at all," said Johnson. "Young kids out there killing for no reason at all. Ain't about nothing at all. You know what I am saying. Just because you have a beef with somebody you don't have to shoot innocent people. You know you don't have to shoot innocent people."
Lester is in the intensive care unit at the Ryder Trauma Center.
"This month she is going to be 68 years old," said Johnson. "Now she's laying up there in the hospital recovering for something she had nothing to do with and didn't know nothing about."
Relatives say there are complicating factors for Lester. The bullet that struck her chest also caused liver damage.
Police do not have a description to release of the shooter and the driver. Anyone with information is asked to please call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305 471 TIPS.
