NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A mass shooting is still under investigation after gunmen fired outside of a banquet hall more than a year ago.
“It’s not easy, it’s not fair and it’s hurtful,” said Charlene Peterson whose daughter was one of three people killed during a mass shooting at a Northwest Miami-Dade banquet hall on Memorial Day weekend in 2021.
One year later, Peterson told 7News she is still grieving an unimaginable loss. She’s also calling for an end to gun violence.
“It’s nothing that I can do to bring her back,” said Peterson.
Charlene Peterson, lost her then 32-year-old daughter, Shaniqua Peterson Harris, who died four days after she and 22 others were shot outside El Mula banquet hall on Northwest 186th Street.
Surveillance video shows at least three shooters getting out of a Nissan SUV before opening fire on a crowd.
Fighting for her life after the shooting with a bullet lodged in her head, Harris would lose the fight, leaving her son behind.
“He’s 13 years old. I don’t have any answers for him about when she’s coming back or if she’s coming back,” said Peterson. “He just knows she’s no longer here.”
Police would make two arrests, including then 22-year-old Davonte Barnes and then 20-year-old Warneric Buckner.
The charges against Buckner would later be dropped.
Meanwhile, Barnes, who police said admitted to being a lookout during the shooting, now awaits trial.
He faces three counts of murder and 20 counts of attempted murder.
“To this day it’s only one person behind, and I understand why they haven’t picked more when we know they know who it is,” said Peterson.
At a time when mass shootings seem to be commonplace, this mother is asking for change, not only in Miami-Dade but well beyond.
“We have shootings that happen in schools, supermarkets, movie theaters, what are we doing? What are we doing to stop the violence. We’re losing our children because of stupidness,” said Peterson.
She fears something like this could happen again.
“What you can do is stop the shooting and killing of our young people?” said Peterson.
The banquet hall is now closed down and set to become a supermarket. To some, it is just an empty building, but to others, it is where lives were changed forever.
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