DORAL, Fla. – Local leaders and law enforcement held a news conference on Monday in the wake of several deadly shootings in South Florida.
They are asking for the public’s help in making arrests.
“We must get these killers off the streets,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “We can only do it with your help.”
Cava’s urgent plea to the community comes after a holiday weekend marred by violence that left behind more than 30 people shot and three more dead.
“Gun violence is an epidemic, and the pandemic has intensified it,” said Levine Cava.
Before the weekend even began there was a terrifying shootout from a moving car near Northwest 37th Avenue on Thursday that left three people shot, including a bystander sitting in traffic.
On Friday, seven people were shot in another drive-by shooting outside a property bordering Wynwood and Overtown.
Then Sunday, 23 people shot outside a concert at El Mula banquet hall. Police are now turning to the public for help finding the suspected shooters in a white pathfinder seen on surveillance video.
“We know that our intended target was most likely in front of the establishment when the shooting took place,” said Miami-Dade Police Homicide Maj. Jorge Aguiar.
So many shots fired, so many witnesses but for now, no arrests.
Police officers are pleading with the public to break the so-called cone of silence fueled by fear of retaliation.
Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez called the deadly violence foolish, fueled by something as small as social media beef.
Said Ramirez: “How are you going to get done like that? You just got punked out. So what do you get? Three individuals in a vehicle, showing up somewhere and retaliating and then bragging about it.”
Levine Cava pledged to add investigative resources to help monitor that activity and hopefully prevent more of these crimes.
“This is critical because these things are appearing in social media and our analysts can help us,” she said.