NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida mother is asking for answers a day after, police said, her 15-year-old son was shot and killed in a North Miami-Dade neighborhood.
Speaking with 7News on Thursday, the mother of Barry Ellis III said she’s still reeling over the sudden loss of her oldest child.
“That’s my backbone, you know? I can’t do nothing without him,” she said.
The mother revealed the pair shared the same birthday.
“I will miss that, I will miss the birthday, the holidays, everything about it,” she said.
Miami-Dade Police detectives said Ellis was shot in a mobile home park located off Northwest Miami Court, Wednesday afternoon.
“I’m in disbelief, saying, ‘Why him?’ Because it’s like he don’t do nothing wrong to nobody,” said Ellis’ mother. “He’s a good child. All he wants to do is
make friends; that’s it.”
Police said Ellis was visiting a home when a bullet traveled into the residemce, hitting the teen in the upper part of his body.
People who were nearby raced to try and help the teen, putting him in a car, but they did not get very far.
That’s when first responders arrived and rushed the 15-year-old to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he died.
“I’m still devastated. I’m still hurt. I’m at a loss for words,” said his mother. “I can’t sleep. I toss and turn at night, so it’s just a lot on me right now.”
Investigators currently do not believe Ellis was targeted.
It’s a lot for his mother and her 2-year-old daughter.
“It’s going to be hard, because she asks for her brother all the time, you know,” said his mother.
Ellis attended Horace Mann Middle School. His family said he did not live in the neighbhorhood where he was shot.
But area residents said this isn’t the first time something similar has happened there.
“Nobody can sleep, nobody can do nothing, only come and ‘blah, blah, blah’ all the time,” said a woman.
Detectives spent all day Wednesday investigating the shooting. They searched for information about the person who pulled the trigger that ended the life of
a 15-year-old boy.
“I hope someone finds out who did this to my son, and I hope they can reach out, 100%, because I don’t wish this on anybody,” said his mother.
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 reward of up to $5,000.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.