A 15-year-old girl has been released from the hospital after being shot in the shoulder during a road rage incident on the Palmetto Expressway Tuesday night, her mother says.
The shooter, believed to be in a black Chevrolet Malibu according to authorities, opened fire as the family drove home from a pool party.
Frightening encounter on the road
Cassandra Morgan, the victim’s mother, said the shooting happened just after 9 p.m. near Northwest 47th Avenue. Her daughter was sitting in the front passenger seat of their white Hyundai when two shots were fired.
“I saw the gun out the window and they shot out the window and I immediately pulled over because my daughter said she felt something,” Morgan said.
Morgan said she was also driving with her 6- and 9-year-old sons at the time.
“Scary. Not something I would want anyone to go through,” she said. “A lot was overwhelming. I just wanted to make sure my kids were OK.”
Road rage sparked by horn honk
Morgan believes the incident started when she honked at a driver on a side street before merging onto the highway.
“The guy merged on the lane and came over and I blew at him,” she said.
She told authorities that someone in the suspect’s vehicle responded with an obscene gesture and then began following her car.
“The guy continued to follow me onto 47th Avenue,” Morgan said.
“After that, they got over into the far right lane in front of my sister and her husband. The driver stayed in the middle lane. That’s where he followed me and I noticed the passenger window went down and I saw the gun out of the window.”
“They shot out the window. I immediately pulled over because my daughter said she felt hot and felt something.”
Search for suspect continues
The Florida Highway Patrol is asking for the public’s help in locating the suspect, believed to be driving a late-model black Malibu with a broken blue fog light.
“You may have been following a vehicle and have more information on the vehicle that can lead us to an arrest,” said FHP Trooper Joe Sanchez.
“Don’t get into a confrontation with anybody. Don’t make eye contact with anyone who is acting aggressively. Contact FHP, so we can get somebody out there,” added Sanchez. “Get off the highway and get to a gas station, fire station. Any lit area where you can get away from the situation.”
Morgan urged the public to speak up if they witnessed anything.
“If they saw anything or heard anything, call and let the guys know,” she said. “This could be very helpful and stop this from doing this to the next person and other kids and anybody else out there.”
FHP asks anyone with information to call *347 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
