MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A 23-year-old woman is dead after a shooting at a Miami Gardens house party Saturday night, Miami Gardens police said.
Alexandra Dean, a recent Nova Southeastern University nursing graduate, was shot in the head at a house party in the 40 block of Northeast 212th Terrace. She was taken to Aventura Hospital, where she died of her injuries, police said.
"Why would you be shooting at a party? If everyone comes to enjoy themselves, why are you shooting?" Pauline Dean, the victim's mother, asked.
Police said it appeared Alexandra Dean was an innocent bystander and likely not the intended target of the shooting.
"This person was just shooting at somebody else," Pauline Dean said.
The party was attended by more than 200 people, and advertised on Instagram as a "Project X" type of party -- after the Warner Bros. movie about an epic high school party.
The Instagram post said the pool party began at 3 p.m., and included free food, drinks and entertainment.
Food, plates, cups, broken glass and fliers promoting other parties were on the ground outside the home Sunday morning.
Neighbors said they saw large crowds at the home Saturday night and assumed the party was part of a graduation celebration. They said the party is an annual event.
"They usually come over and say 'Hey we're having a party,'" Isaac Gooden, who lives near the party house, said. "They're polite about it, you know?"
Witnesses told Local 10 they heard several shots fired and saw people running out of the house shortly after.
"People were just running, like they're frantic," Gooden said.
Alexandra Dean's family and friends took to social media Sunday to remember her life and made the hashtag #RipAlex a trending topic. They also called for the person responsible for the shooting, or anyone who has information, to come forward.
"So much life left," Pauline Dean said. "And she really wanted to practice nursing. She was looking forward to it."
Raymond Dean. the victim's father, is hoping the person responsible will be caught.
"Lock him up for the rest of his life," he said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
