MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - The family of a woman who was fatally shot in her Miami Gardens home is reaching out for help from the public.
Loved ones of 63-year-old Danette Simmons met at Miami Gardens police headquarters on Wednesday to ask for information leading to the shooter’s whereabouts.
“If the shoe fits, wear it. You’re a murderer. You murdered someone. Give yourself up,” said Courtney Johnson, Simmons’ sister.
Miami Gardens Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the scene along the 18800 block of Northwest 17th Court just before 11:30 p.m. on April 4 where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Family members said her dog may have played a role in the death of their grandmother.
“You came there to take a life because you came with a gun to retrieve something that you didn’t buy, that no one gave you,” said Johnson.
Police said they are searching for 25-year-old Lerio Minnis in connection to the shooting.
Minnis could be seen in front of a home on the same block minutes before the shooting in footage from a doorbell surveillance camera.
He is considered armed and dangerous.
“What you did that night, you shifted lives. You shifted grandchildren’s lives,” said Johnson. “I can’t even explain what the grandchildren alone are going through: the fear, the worry, the crying, the nightmares.”
A makeshift memorial now stands at bullet-ridden home of Simmons, where many once found shelter, a hot meal or free advice.
“She was loving, caring. She was dedicated. She went to church every Sunday,” said Johnson. “She will live on because of the things that she did, because of the lives that she’s touched, the lives that she’s made better.”
Simmons was said to be a loving stepmother, grandmother and maternal figure to the community.
“Someone knows you. Someone knows your whereabouts. Someone knows how to get that information to the police department. You will be caught,” said Johnson.
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 $3,000 reward.
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