MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Two people are dead after a shooting Saturday afternoon in Miami Gardens, police said.
The fatal shooting comes amid uptick in violence in Miami Gardens. Eight people have been shot in the city since June 16.
"Recently we have seen an unprecedented amount of violence in our city," said Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt. "Since the beginning of the hurricane season/summer season, we have increased patrols, conducted numerous roll calls and increased our enforcement efforts."
On Saturday, police responded to a report just after noon about two people shot in the 2700 block of Northwest 167th Street, near Northwest 27th Avenue.
Crime scene tape blocked off roads, causing traffic delays for close to three hours after investigators said two people were shot while in an SUV.
Police identified the victims as Donald Armstrong Jr., 23, and Stephen Campbell, 23.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel pronounced Campbell dead at the scene and took the Armstrong to Ryder Trauma Center, where he later died, police said.
Armstrong's family members told Local 10 News the young man leaves behind two sons and a daughter.
The gunshots rang out under the Palmetto Expressway overpass -- right next to nearby businesses and passing drivers.
People who live nearby said they were shaken.
"Anybody could've been caught up in it, innocent bystanders or innocent drivers passing by," said a resident who would only identify himself as Sam. "It is kind of scary to believe that Miami Gardens has come to this."
The gunman is described by police as a black man in his 20s with a thin build who is 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall. Police said he wore a tan or beige shirt and pants. He ran north on Northwest 27th Avenue.
That "you could be in your car and your car get all shot up and everything and get ultimately killed is just scary," Sam said.
As crime scene techs gathered evidence they hope will lead to finding the shooter, residents said they were shocked to hear of the fatal shooting that happened in the middle of the day.
"The culprits don't have any heart," resident Basil Cole said. "They just shoot wild."
As homicide detectives now search for the suspect, residents had a message to their neighbors who may have witnessed the crime.
"Help ... with the police and whatever they know, reveal it," Cole said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Miami Gardens police Detective Sean Horne at 305-474-1560 or Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
