MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade Police Department detectives identified Friday's 17-year-old shooting victim as Gabriela "Gabi" Aldana.
The teen liked to meet up with friends at the Hookah Palace at 11865 SW 26 St., in Miami-Dade's Tamiami neighborhood. The shopping mall also has Dade County Building Department offices, Florida National University classrooms and the popular AMC Tamiami 18 movie theater.
Gabriela was in the parking lot when a shooter fired a weapon from inside a car about 2 a.m. She appeared to have been shot in the head. No one else was injured.
"The vehicle sped from the scene," Detective Angel Rodriguez said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel rushed her to Kendall Regional Medical Center where doctors pronounced her dead. Jennifer Badia set up a GoFundMe account to help her mother with the unexpected funeral expense.
"You were so full of life ... beautiful inside and out," Badia wrote. "
Rodriguez is asking anyone with information to call Detective J. Alvarez at 305-471-2400 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.