MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – One person was killed and another was injured Sunday night in a shooting in Miami Gardens, authorities confirmed.
According to police, the victims were leaving a party and were followed to the area of Northwest 47th Avenue and 183rd Street where their car was shot at.
Police said three toddlers were sitting in the backseat of the vehicle during the shooting, but none of them were struck by bullets.
After the shooting, the victims ran into a nearby McDonald’s looking for help.
“Our victims were coming from a party and they were followed,” Miami Gardens police spokeswoman Diana Delgado said. “They are highly dangerous suspects if they are shooting at any car -- any persons inside the car. This could be gang affiliated and it’s a targeted incident.”
Police confirmed that both victims who were shot were men. The victim who was killed in the shooting has since been identified as 20-year-old Mah’ki Eugene Cutler.
6 p.m. report:
Latoya Thompson, Cutler’s mother, was in tears as she told Local 10 News’ Roy Ramos about her son.
“He called me every day,” she said. “He was a good kid -- very respectful, hardworking, very wise.”
She said Cutler’s 6-year-old brother was in the car, along with two other children who are related to the surviving victim.
Thompson said she found out about the shooting after receiving a FaceTime call from her younger son, who was still in the car riddled with bullets.
“They are his best friends. I raised them to be really close,” she said.
Family members arrived at the scene on Monday evening to build a memorial for Cutler.
“I’m just decorating tonight, making sure ‘Ki knows we love him,” said Quanisha Grimes, the Cutlers’ cousin.
Grimes said she responded right away when she heard about the shooting.
“It was scary for me because I was first on the scene,” she said. “I did all I could -- CPR. I pumped, I pumped, I pumped.”
The surviving victim was hospitalized in critical condition, but is now listed as stable, authorities confirmed.
A description of the shooter or shooters has not been released, however police say they are searching for a dark-colored SUV.
“My child didn’t live that life, so he wasn’t in that life, but you are already in that life and it is over for you,” Thompson said in a message to whoever pulled the trigger.
Police said the suspect or suspects may be affiliated with a local gang and likely targeted Cutler and his friend.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Miami Gardens Police Department or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.