SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Two women have been killed after, police said, an elderly man opened fire inside a crowded restaurant in Southwest Miami-Dade, then later turned the gun on himself, Saturday afternoon.
According to Miami-Dade Police, the shooting took place inside the Latin Cafeteria Restaurant, located at 7360 Coral Way. “At approximately 12:13 this afternoon, the subject walked into the Latin Cafeteria and approached two females that worked inside the cafeteria and opened fire,” said Miami-Dade Police Detective Robin Pinkard.
Thirty-nine-year-old Madlin Guardado died at the scene, and paramedics took the other victim, identified as 38-year-old Yenat Guardado, to Kendall Regional Medical Center in critical condition. She later succumbed to her injuries.
People who frequent the restaurant told 7News the victims are sisters.
Police said the gunman took off in a green Jeep Cherokee.
William Garcia, who works near the restaurant, described the chaos that ensued. “I just see like all of my clients running toward there, and they said somebody got shot by a rifle,” he said.
Five officers held a visibly distraught man back from the scene. It is unclear what his relation was to the victims.
Meanwhile, relatives tried to make sense of the tragedy. Roberto Fernandez said three sisters worked at the restaurant. One of the victims, he added, was his sister-in-law.
Hours later, 7News cameras captured police officers standing next to the shooter’s Jeep Cherokee, surrounded by crime scene tape, in the parking lot of a Winn-Dixie at Southwest 112th Avenue and 40th Street. Officials said the 84-year-old man inside the vehicle suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He died at the hospital.
Back at the Latin Cafeteria, crime scene investigators taped off a large portion of the shopping center where it is located for hours as they questioned witnesses.
Even though investigators have not provided further details about a motive behind the shooting, they did have something to say about the gunman. “We do believe there may be some type of known subject to the victims,” said Pinkard. “We do not believe this is a random act of violence.”
Police have not released the name of the man believed to be the shooter. Saturday night, they were still trying to contact next of kin.
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