MIAMI (WSVN) - A heartbroken South Florida community came together to mourn two teens who were fatally gunned down in broad daylight over the weekend, as city and county officials committed to take measures to keep residents safe.
A candlelight memorial was held Monday evening near Northwest 63rd Street and 13th Place in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood. Local leaders joined area residents as they paid their respects to the young victims.
“It takes a village, and we are the village,” said a woman at the somber gathering.
The memorial took place one day after, police said, 17-year-old Kimson Green and 18-year-old Rickey Dixon were among four males who were shot while sitting in an alleyway near Northwest 63rd Street and 13th Place, Sunday, at around 2 p.m.
Police said dozens of shots were fired.
Green and Dixon did not survive. The other two victims remain at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Monday afternoon, 7News cameras captured Green’s mother, Dominique Green, breaking down in tears as loved ones consoled her.
She told 7News her son was a hardworking student who kept himself out of trouble.
“He stayed in the projects, but when he goes to school, he worked, he worked, he worked,” she said.
The 17-year-old was an honor student at Miami Northwestern Senior High School.
“This was a 10th-grader who had just made the National Honor Society,” said Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.
One of Green’s teachers described him as an outstanding student.
“He was a great leader, never was a follower,” said Shakeita Gunder. “He was smart, he was funny, he was mannerable, respectful.”
On Sunday, Green became one of the latest victims of gun violence in the streets of Miami.
“The innocence of the community is being chipped away, one life and one soul at a time, and that must stop,” said Carvalho.
“This is a very traumatic event,” said City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, “and to have two of them in a span of seven days, with a girl that was killed here seven days ago, is a lot for a community to handle.”
There was a noticeable increase in police presence in Liberty City on Monday. City of Miami officials said they plan to keep it that way.
Suarez said he’s working with the state and county to ensure there are more police officers on the streets in Liberty City.
“We’re not going to hold back. We’re not going to hold any expenses,” said Suarez. “This is not about budget, this is about safety, and it’s the minimum that we need to guarantee for our citizens.”
In the wake of these most recent shootings, the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County launched Operation Blue and Brown, referring to the different colors of their respective police departments.
City of Miami Police released a statement on Monday that reads in part, “The ongoing joint operation establishes increased patrols to investigate and prevent violent criminal activity in the target area. The City of Miami is committed to protecting the residents of this community.”
“We want the residents to know that we support them. These streets do not belong to the gangbangers, they belong to the residents,” said Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina. “We’re gonna make sure that we’re out here protecting the people that live here, because that’s what we need to do. What we need, though, is everyone’s communication.”
Area resident Dwight Wells addressed Colina and Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez, demanding that their agencies do more to keep the neighborhood safe.
Meanwhile, the people of Liberty City are calling on each other to take a stand against the violence in the hopes of saving another family from the heartbreak of losing a loved one.
“It could be someone in your family. It’s gonna be someone,” said Dominique. “I lost my only child, and I don’t know the reason why. You won’t know the reason either.”
If you have any information on Sunday’s 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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