MIAMI (WSVN) - An investigation is underway after an overnight shooting in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood sent a 13-year-old boy to the hospital.
According to City of Miami Police, the young victim was shot as he slept, near the corner of Northwest Fourth Street and 13th Avenue, sometime early Monday morning.
Witnesses said they heard chaos a little after 2 a.m.
“It was like ‘boom, boom, boom,’ like really, really strong. When I woke up, I was like, ‘What? Are there fireworks?’ That’s what I thought, and my husband was like, ‘No, no, they’re actually shots,'” said neighbor Cindy Casco. “More than 10 shots, yes, and then what we heard is like a car just like passed by, the car, like, it flew, just did the shots and they just left.”
This is the third time in a week that gunfire rang out in this neighborhood, leaving residents frightened, angry and fed up.
“It has happened last week twice, once at 3 in the morning, and the other one happened, as well, at night,” said Casco.
Investigators said the sleeping boy was struck in the foot.
Casco said she tried to calm down her children, ages 2 and 7. “The kids came running inside my room to tell me that they were scared,” said Casco. “[My daughter] was like, ‘Mama, are those fireworks? I’m really scared. What just happened?’ And I’m like, ‘Just calm down. You’ve got to calm down. There’s actually a shooting right now. We are not going to move or anything. We are just going to stay here until everything passes.'”
Paramedics transported the teen to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where he underwent surgery on his foot. He is listed in stable condition.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho stopped by the hospital to support the family.
“Doing nothing more, nothing less than lying in his own bed sleeping,” said Carvalho.
Carvalho expressed his anger over the number of shootings involving children across South Florida.
“Over the past two years, over 60 school-aged kids have been shot and killed in our community,” said Carvalho, “and sadly that has become a phenomenon that cannot become our new normal.”
One man, who did not wish to be identified, said it was only a matter of time before someone was shot. “It’s unfortunate, but thank God it isn’t as bad as it could have been,” he said.
The man said he can’t believe the place he’s called home for decades has taken such a violent path. It’s sad because this neighborhood — I’ve lived in Miami for mere than 27 years — and as far as I know, the neighborhood is fine, there’s no problems, so you know, it’s a sad situation,” he said.
Casco said she now has to explain to her children why they can no longer play outside. “Last time, it happened at 9 at night, so I’m telling them, ‘Look, there’s gunshots, we have to be careful, and we have to go inside and just play inside now in the house,'” she said.
Police continue to search for the gunman.
If you have any information on this shooting, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
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