FLORIDA CITY, Fla. – A teenager who police say shot and killed a man in Florida City in June is now being charged as an adult, according to an arrest report released on Tuesday.
According to the report from the Miami-Dade Police Department, which took over the investigation, the shooting happened shortly before 10 p.m. on June 11 outside the victim’s home in the 1200 block of Northwest Seventh Avenue.
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Florida City police officers, who were first to respond, arrived and found three victims inside a black Nissan Sentra.
Police said one victim, whose brother identified him to Local 10 News as Eric Jackson, was suffering from gunshot wounds and was taken to Jackson South Medical Center, where he was declared brain dead and not expected to survive.
The arrest report states that Jackson died three days later. Police said the 21-year-old was shot in the head.
Police said a woman told detectives that she heard multiple gunshots outside her residence.
Upon exiting her home, the woman said she saw Kedrick McKnight, also known as “Keddie,” standing in her driveway and shooting at her vehicle with a “Draco” rifle, the report stated.
Police said the woman’s children were inside the vehicle when she yelled, “You’re going to jail for this, Keddie!” as the 16-year-old fled northbound on Northwest Seventh Avenue. She later identified McKnight as the suspect in a photo lineup.
Detectives said on June 17, McKnight was located at the Garden Inn Homestead Hotel and taken into custody.
During questioning at MDPD’s Homicide Bureau, police said McKnight, after being read his Miranda rights, provided conflicting statements and denied involvement in the case. Despite his denial, he was charged and transported to a Juvenile Assessment Center in Miami-Dade.
“Eric is a good guy, stayed out of trouble, helped his kid. Eric, he’s in good hands,” Johnny Grandjean, the victim’s brother told Local 10 News last month.
A Local 10 News crew was at the scene as the car Jackson was inside was towed away.
Relatives say Jackson has a 1-year-old daughter and are hoping for justice.
According to jail records, McKnight is facing one count of first-degree murder.
As of Tuesday, he is being held without bond at the Metro West Detention Center.