Miami Senior High football coach killed at home; police question teen

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Corey Smith, a teacher and football coach at Miami Senior High School, was shot and killed inside his Northwest Miami-Dade home, police said, and detectives questioned a teenager who was at the home at the time of the shooting.

7News cameras captured an active scene outside the victim’s home along the 2100 block of Northwest 97th Street, just after 4 p.m., Monday. Investigators set up a tent and surrounded the residence with crime scene tape.

According to Miami-Dade Police, they received a call at around 9:30 a.m. saying a man was unresponsive inside the house.

“While units were responding, further information across the radio came across that there was a person that was shot,” said MDPD spokesperson Alvaro Zabaleta.

Officers arrived at the home to find Smith suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said a 15-year-old was also inside the home but was unharmed. Police have questioned the minor, who is not related to Smith, and they continue to look for leads after speaking to the teenager.

“The teen is speaking with investigators in order to give us further information on perhaps what he heard or what he may have seen,” said Zabaleta.

Friends of the victim spoke to 7News throughout the day.

“Honestly, this whole community is devastated. Today, we lost a legend,” said fellow coach Herbert Ritchie.

“It’s just unbelievable that he would lose his life like this,” said Awntwan Jones.

Back at the scene of Monday’s shooting, friends and family members mourned the loss of Smith.

“He gave his all to the community. He gave his all to his family. He was just a great man,” said Terrance Gibson, a friend of the victim.

“A lot of people’s lives have been affected today,” said Jones.

While police continue to piece together what led to the shooting, many have taken to social media to honor him.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho wrote in a tweet, “Thank you Coach Smith for two decades of service to @MDCPS students. Your untimely death will undoubtedly leave a huge void in the lives of those you positively impacted.”

Alex Rodriguez-Roig, the president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade, said the 46-year-old made a huge impact on young lives.

“We lost a coach, a friend, a mentor,” he said. “He was that one guy that was always, always there. For the last 13 years, he was always there for the kids. He mentored so many kids. I mean, hundreds of kids he mentored. He even mentored some of our staff.”

Rodriguez-Roig added that Smith’s death is not only a loss for the young people he mentored, but for the adult staff, as well. He described Smith as a quiet man who just put his head down and did the work.

“He’d be in a meeting with a ton of folks, and everybody’s just trying to figure it out, and he would just bring everybody back and say, ‘Focus on why we’re here. It’s not about winning, it’s not about losing, it’s not about this title or that title, it’s about the kids,'” Rodriguez-Roig said. “He impacted so many kids that I’m sure his impact will live on through hundreds of kids that he actually touched and will remember him forever.”

In a tweet, fellow coach Luther Luke Campbell wrote, “This is heartbreaking … R.I.P.”

“He was a real giving person to everyone he came in contact with, whether he knew you for five days or five years,” said Ritchie.

7News cameras captured detectives back at the home, Tuesday morning.

Officials are asking for the community’s help in determining what happened and have passed out fliers to nearby residents.

“If anybody saw something, no matter how small it is, and it looks suspicious, contact Crime Stoppers,” said Zabaleta. “You might help us solve the case.”

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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