Kidnapping Ends In Police Involved Shooting In Homestead
HOMESTEAD (CBSMiami) – A kidnapping plot in southern Miami-Dade ended with a woman being shot to death by police in Homestead.
Investigators said it began on Wednesday when two teens, ages 17 and 19, were taken at gunpoint. The kidnappers then called the boys' family and demanded a quarter of a million dollars in ransom for their safe return.
The family got in touch with the police whose investigation led them to the Cocowalk mobile home development at 2nd Street and NE 12th Avenue in Homestead. Undercover detectives stormed unit #72 and found six people suspected of being part of the kidnapping plot inside.
"When the officers entered the residence there was a confrontation and one subject was killed on the scene," said police spokeswoman Det. Rosanna Cordero-Stutz
Police confirmed only the detectives fired their guns but did say the woman who was killed was armed with a hand gun. Police did not say if the five other kidnapping suspects, who were taken into custody, were armed.
Also inside the mobile home, police found both of the teens. They said the younger one had been severely beaten in effort to extract the ransom from the family.
"One of the victims was severely beaten and tortured," said Det. Cordero-Stutz.
Police have not released the names of those taken into custody or said what charges they will face.
Neighbors were stunned by the news.
"It's shocking because nothing like this has ever happened in this community," said neighbor Guillermo Rodriguez. "It's really shocking."
Jennifer Taylor lives right next door to the home where police say they found the abducted teens. She wasn't home when the shooting happened, but as she left for work about 7:30, she said she saw a young man running down the street bleeding.
"He didn't have any shoes on, no shirt, just pajama pants he was holding up as he was running. He had blood coming down," she said. She still doesn't know if that is related to what happened about a half hour later.
"I didn't know what to do. I was in shock.. just kind of drove off and went to work," she said.
By the time she came home, her neighborhood had turned into a crime scene. She said she didn't know the people who live next door because the only moved in a few weeks ago.
