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Mass shooting death toll rises: Mother with bullet lodged in head dies in Miami-Dade

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Shankquia Peterson was among the 23 people shot early Sunday morning during a rapper’s album release party in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. The 32-year-old mother of a 12-year-old boy died on Thursday, police said.

Relatives said Peterson had a bullet lodged in her head, so doctors had kept her in a medically induced coma. She died shortly after 3 p.m.

Peterson’s family released a statement on Thursday night: “Our family wants the gun violence to end, for these predators to be caught. This shooting has shaken the family to its core.”

Two other men also died during the mass shooting: Desmond Owens and Clayton Dillard III. They were both 26. Owens’ mother and other relatives visited the crime scene on Thursday.

“Our family is experiencing a deep sense of loss right now,” Ashley Gantt, Owens’ cousin said.

Detective Alvaro Zabaleta, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade Police Department, released a short statement on Thursday evening.

“Investigators have confirmed that from the onset of this investigation, there were multiple shooters from various locations,” Zabaleta wrote.

Detectives announced on Monday that divers found the white Nissan Pathfinder used in a fatal mass shooting on Sunday in Miami-Dade County. (Copyright 2020 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.)

Surveillance video shows some of the shooters arrived in a Nissan Pathfinder late Saturday night at the Country Club Shopping Center in the Palm Springs North neighborhood, police said. The white stolen vehicle was parked close to El Mula Banquet Hall, at 7630 NW 186 St., just north of Hialeah and west of Carol City.

Surveillance video shows the driver of the stolen vehicle waited patiently for about an hour. Another surveillance camera recorded the driver parked on a side road early Sunday morning next to the banquet hall.

“Three males then armed with rifles and handguns exited the vehicle,” Detective Alexandra Turnes said.

Other surveillance video shows the crowd standing outside of the banquet hall before the armed trio quickly turned calm to terror. The crowd had been waiting to get inside for an album release party by Courtney Paul Wilson, 24, better known as rapper ABMG Spitta from Carol City.

Video shows the trio ran back to the Pathfinder. It was parked on the side road, which leads to the back of the shopping center and to Northwest 186th Street.

Amid the chaos, some people drove the wounded to nearby hospitals. On Monday, there were 18 injured who remained hospitalized, police said. The victims were treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Aventura, Kendall Regional, and Memorial Regional in Broward County.

Detectives recovered the abandoned Nissan Pathfinder about nine miles away from the crime scene on Monday. Divers found it submerged in a canal in the area of 154th Street and Northwest Second Avenue. It had been reported stolen on May 15, police said.

Owens’ aunt Schekena Burton asked the public for help on Wednesday at the crime scene.

“No snitching leads to no conviction, so we need you all to open up your mouth and say something,” Burton said.

Miami-Dade detectives are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

There is a $130,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Marcus Lemonis contributed $100,000, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives contributed $25,000, and Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers contributed $5,000.

Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Emily Hales contributed to this report.


About the Authors
Liane Morejon headshot

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.

Terrell Forney headshot

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.

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