An early morning shooting near the Brightline station in Downtown Miami left one man dead and a woman seriously injured.
The shooting took place at NW 1st Avenue and NW 6th Street.
According to police, just after 5 a.m., they received a call from someone who said his friend had called him to say she had been shot. Shortly afterward, they received a second call reporting a shooting in the same area.
When officers arrived, they found a woman who had been shot in the legs. She was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. Police have not released her current condition.
As they continued investigating, officers discovered the body of a man who had been fatally shot.
“He was a good guy, he would give the shirt off his back if he had to,” said James Blum, a friend of the man who died.
Blum believes the shooting may have been related to a financial dispute.
“There was a hit out on his head because he owed somebody a thousand dollars,” he said.
Police have not confirmed that claim but did report that both victims were shot near a homeless encampment at NW 1st Avenue and NW 6th Street. According to sources, both the man and the woman were experiencing homelessness.
“We don’t have any leads on who shot at them. We did find bullet casings on the scene,” said Miami police spokesman Mike Vega. He added that a weapon has not been recovered. Investigators are still working to determine what led to the shooting.
Community leaders respond to violence against the homeless
CBS News Miami also spoke with Ron Book, who has served as Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust for 30 years. Book said he is eager to get answers about the shooting and confirmed he has been in contact with Miami Police Chief Manny Morales. According to Book, Morales told him it was still unclear how or why the two homeless individuals were shot.
“We are always outraged at any loss of life for the most vulnerable in our community who are the homeless,” Book said.
He emphasized how dangerous life on the streets can be.
“We believe homeless individuals have an average shorter life span by 13 to 17 years than you and I. Much of that is due to exposure on the street and the roughness on the street from an exposure standpoint,” he said. “When you add the criminal aspect, the message is: listen to outreach teams and let us come in and provide you housing and services and move you to a place that can help in our community.”
Book also acknowledged the ongoing support his organization receives from the Miami Police Department, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.
Voices from the street
CBS News Miami also spoke with people currently living on the streets of Miami.
One man named Harry, who identified himself as homeless, shared his concerns about safety.
“My concern is you do not know when you are safe or not. You have to make sure that your things do not get stolen. Just be aware of everything you have and keep it as simple as possible,” he said.
Police ask for public’s help
Miami Police spokesman Officer Mike Vega said authorities are asking for the public’s help in solving the case.
Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Miami Police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.
