Woman killed by stray bullet while driving in Miami Gardens

Police chief dispels social media rumors of serial sniper

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Miami Gardens' police chief assured the public Monday that a serial sniper was not targeting the area after a woman was killed by a stray bullet over the weekend. 

"There's no facts to indicate that there is a sniper out there shooting at people," said Chief Delma Noel-Pratt, referring to posts on social media that claimed multiple shootings occurred in Miami Gardens in recent days.

Police said Alicia Roundtree, 43, who was a mother of three, was driving home from work about 8 p.m. Saturday when she was shot on 183rd Street, near the Miami-Dade County Public Library.

She was airlifted to Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, where she died.

No arrests have been made.

Roundtree's son, Johnathan Raphael, remembered his mother Monday as a strong woman who did not have any enemies.

He also had a message for the gunman.

"They need to turn themselves in. Don't hurt anybody else. My family's hurt. I'm hurt. Please don't hurt anyone else," Raphael said.

Some on social media claimed that there have been multiple incidents of people shooting at vehicles in the area.

Authorities said there have been other shootings where vehicles have been struck by bullets, but police said those shootings were "road rage incidents or a result of assaults not involving these vehicles."

"I want to reassure you that the Miami Gardens Police Department is vigilantly working to keep the community safe and investigate the homicide which recently occurred," Noel-Pratt said. 

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Miami Gardens police Detective H. Schneider at 305-474-1710 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. A reward of up to $3,000 is offered for information that leads to an arrest.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.