MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An arrest has been made in the deadly mass shooting that occurred earlier this year outside a banquet hall in northwest Miami-Dade.
Three people were killed and nearly two dozen others were injured in the Memorial Day weekend shooting outside El Mula banquet hall.
Miami-Dade police arrested Davonte Barnes, 22, on Thursday for acting as a lookout as gunmen opened fire on a crowd, killing three people and injuring 20.
According to his arrest report, surveillance video shows that a silver Nissan Altima that is registered to Barnes’ mother was surveilling the area where the shooting occurred just prior to the incident.
Police said Barnes waived his Miranda rights Thursday and confessed to meeting up with other people involved in the shooting before it happened.
According to the arrest report, Barnes said one of the subjects involved in the shooting wanted one specific person killed who was supposed to attend a concert that was being held at the venue. Barnes said he then reported back to the group whether that victim was at the location, authorities said.
Police have not released the identity of the victim that was being targeted by the group.
Police released 911 calls earlier this year that captured the chaos that immediately followed the shooting.
“I don’t know the avenue, but I been shot and I feel myself dying,” one caller said.
“Help me, help me,” another victim is heard saying.
Police said a rap concert was being held inside the banquet hall when three men pulled up in a white SUV and sprayed the crowd with bullets in less than 10 seconds.
Another vehicle with a gunman was spotted in the distance, also shooting.
People in the crowd ran and ducked for cover.
Desmond Owens, Clayton Dillard, Jr., and Shaniqua Peterson were killed in the shooting.
“I’m hurting every day. They stole from me,” said Clayton Dillard, Sr., the victim’s father.
Some survivors drove themselves to the hospital, while other eyewitnesses jumped into action.
Police divers eventually recovered the getaway vehicle in a canal nine miles east of the crime scene.
Detectives believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between two rival groups.
Barnes appeared in court Friday and was ordered held without bond.
Anyone with information about any other people involved in the shooting is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.