Violent Weekend In Miami-Dade Claims 14-Year-Old Boy And Leaves 2 Other Children Wounded
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A 14-year-old boy is dead and two other children were wounded in a violent Sunday in Miami-Dade.
Sadly, and like a series of shootings this year in Miami-Dade, both incidents happened during family gatherings. Now two mothers, including a community activist, are speaking out.
Tangela Sears, a community activist who lost her 29-year-old son David Queen on May 20th of 2015 during a shooting, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "When you do this, you destroy lives, and killers are winning. It's a badge of honor for them once they kill our kids. We stop this by putting people in jail and stop playing politics."
She said, "It is time for our elected officials to meet with homicide departments to see what resources they need such as bringing in the federal government to see if a task force can solve these cases. When there is no justice for families, a lot of times there's retaliation on another family."
Miami-Dade police said they have worked with federal task forces in the past but say that might not be effective in the latest two cases because they are isolated and unrelated.
Sherita Small lost her 16-year-old son, Zamari Pierre Louis, to gun violence in 2014.
She said, "That's why I am in church today because I am having a terrible time after hearing this morning about the killing of a 14-year-old boy. These people have no heart. They are criminal and it is disgusting."
Even though the three children did not attend Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is also speaking out.
He said in a tweet, "Four, six, and fourteen! Those are the ages of the latest victims of cowardly gun violence in our community over the weekend. When home and the park are unsafe for kids, where shall they find refuge? Silence is complicit. #SpeakUp! 305-471-8477 (TIPS)."
In the latest crime, Miami-Dade police say a 14-year-old boy who was from out-of-town and here to visit family members was with them at a park in the Hammocks community off SW 157 Avenue and 111 Street. He was at a gathering at a pavilion at the park and told family members he was stepping away to meet friends.
Neighbors said they heard a series of shots and a call to 911 mentioned that four shots were fired. It is not known who shot the child or why this happened. There is a reward of up to $5,000 in this case and people with information are urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
That happened just after 7 p.m. Sunday night.
Neighbor Abdias Suero said, "I thought it was firecrackers. It didn't sound like firecrackers. It sounded like shots."
In another incident that happened just after 2 a.m. on Pierce Street at SW 149 Avenue in Richmond Heights, Miami-Dade police say a man opened fire on and wounded two children who are 4 and 6 years old and a 27-year-old pregnant woman and a 42-year-old man.
A witness who did not want to show her face or give her name said, "My kids, three kids were shot. My grandson has to have an operation because a bullet did not come out."
Miami-Dade police said the victims were taken to Jackson South Medical Center and Kendall Regional Medical Center.
Surveillance tape captured some frantic moments after the shooting.
Police arrested 30-year-old Alfonso Amaker and charged with four counts of attempted second-degree murder. In court, a defense attorney said this was a case of self-defense and "stand your ground" as he claimed another person was firing at him.
But Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer ordered Amaker to stay away from the victims and have no contact with them and set bond at $25,000 a count for a total of $100,000. If he can post that bond, he will be on house arrest.
This follows a series of shootings this year in Miami-Dade.
In January, 6-year-old Chassidy Saunders was shot and killed while leaving a birthday party in Northwest Miami-Dade. In April, 3-year-old Elijah LaFrance was shot and killed at his own birthday party. On August 10, 12-year-old Makaylah Rolle was shot in the leg and needed surgery when she was caught in the middle of a crossfire while playing with other children in Opa-Locka.
And on Saturday, September 11, 8-year-old Mauri Robinson was wounded in the buttocks near his apartment while caught in a crossfire between two people firing their weapons at each other.
So far, no arrests have been made in that case.
