MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Authorities are investigating after a man was shot on Interstate 95 Friday morning while driving his mother to work at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The victim’s mother, Blair Charles, told Local 10 News reporter Parker Branton that she and her son, Julien Charles, 25, were heading south on I-95 near 95th Street when they were shot at by an unknown person.
“Suddenly we hear, ‘Bop, bop, bop, bop,’” she said.
Blair said she and Julien ducked in their car and she quickly realized that her son had been shot at least four times.
“He turned off on 95th (and said) he thinks there is a hospital close by,” she said.
Julien drove himself and his mother to North Shore Medical Center as Blair was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher. A Local 10 News crew was outside the ER as the bullet-riddled car was still parked outside.
Miami-Dade police and troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol were also seen outside the hospital.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel transferred Julien to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center for treatment.
A motive for the shooting is unclear.
“Normally this is the road we take every day,” Blair said. “He brings me to work every day, but it’s a shock to see something like this on 95.”
Blair said they didn’t see the car that the person shooting at them was in because they were ducking and dodging bullets.
She said she has no idea why someone would have done this, but says she is thankful her son is expected to be OK.
“God was watching over us,” Blair said. “I got nothing. He got everything.”
Anyone with further information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.