MIAMI — Frustration is growing in South Miami-Dade after another recent round of gun violence, and the community is upset that cases remain unsolved.
“South Dade is part of the Miami community, stop putting us on the side,” said Romania Dukes, founder of Mother’s Fighting for Justice, an organization based on gun violence prevention and education.
Dukes is frustrated after violence in South Miami-Dade over the weekend killed two people.
“I just see more and more killing, it seems like it’s not going to stop,” she said.
On Monday, a man was shot dead near SW 8th St. 6th Ave. in Homestead shortly after 8:30 p.m. Police identified the victim as 23-year-old Brendan Roger Francois.
Less than 48 hours before his murder, 9-year-old Antavious Scott was playing football with friends nearby on 800 W. Lucy street in Florida City when he was shot and killed Saturday night.
“That little kid wasn’t going out not knowing that he’s not going to come back inside his mom’s house,” said Deborah Willis, a member of MFFJ, who also lost her son to gun violence.
“This 9-year-old, playing football in the backyard — guns coming from the left, guns coming from the right. He didn’t know where to go,” added Darrell Collins, another member of MFFJ who lost two of his sons to gun violence.
Collins, Willis and Dukes are leaders in the community who have dedicated their lives to find solutions. But they say lately, South Miami-Dade has gotten completely out of control.
“I want people to give a damn that we’re losing kids in these streets every day,” Dukes said.
Late last month, gunfire erupted in Cutler Bay as children played baseball, and two men were injured.
At the beginning of October, Dukes’ cousin Keith Johnson Jr was shot and killed near Duval Ave and East Circle Plaza.
Not a single arrest has been made in any of these murder cases.
On Thursday at 11 a.m., Mothers Fighting For Justice plans to have a meeting with local elected officials at Keys Point Apartments in Florida City to discuss the ongoing gun violence.
