MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Two 12-year-olds were shot Thursday morning while waiting for their school bus in northwest Miami-Dade, authorities confirmed.
The shooting occurred at 7:57 a.m. in the area of Northwest 109th Street and 10th Avenue.
Miami-Dade police Detective Argemis Colome said the two victims were approached by a 16-year-old, who demanded their cellphones. When they said no, he immediately began firing at them, authorities said.
“These are two juveniles -- two 12-year-olds. It could be our children just going to school. That is the last thing that any parent has on their mind -- that their 12-year-olds that are waiting to go to school are going to get shot at,” Colome said.
Ricrido Gaspard, who lives nearby, told Local 10 News that he heard the gunshots as he was dropping off his own kids at school.
He said he saw one of the two boys who had been shot on the ground, begging for help.
“I saw a kid shot in the leg,” Gaspard said. “He said, ‘I’m so in pain. I can’t hold it no more.’”
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel transported both victims to a local hospital as trauma alerts. Colome said both are listed in stable condition.
In a statement, Miami-Dade Police Director Fredy Ramirez said:
“I am appalled that a 16-year-old was in possession of a rifle and two handguns. I am deeply disturbed that he used one of these firearms to shoot two of our innocent children. No parent should have to worry about their child while they wait for the school bus. We could have lost two lives today, and now three families are affected by senseless gun violence. These issues begin at home and can be addressed early on. We will continue to be a presence and resource in our community.”
A source told Local 10 News that a nearby school was placed on lockdown as police searched for the suspect.
Sky 10 was above the area around 9:30 a.m. as the suspect was detained by police a couple blocks away.
Sources told Local 10 News that the suspect was found hiding in a shed in the yard of a duplex on Northwest 96th Street.
His identity has not yet been released.
“As a father of two, like I said, I just can’t believe he would get himself mixed up in something at such a young age,” one parent near the scene said.
Police confirmed that three guns were recovered from the suspect at the scene.