MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Police are looking for the gunman who shot and killed two people in Miami Gardens on Sunday.
The gunman reportedly opened fire on a parked car with two people inside. Those two people succumbed to their injuries at the scene, and now, police are searching for the subject behind the fatal shooting.
Miami Gardens officials have since identified the two people inside the car as 28-year-old Oliver Portieles and 16-year-old Janet Francis.
According to Miami Gardens Police, at approximately 8:26 p.m., at least one subject approached a car parked along 38th Avenue and 206th Street with two people inside, and opened fire. As shots were being fired, the driver of the parked car fled northbound with at least one subject still shooting at them.
Officials said the car that was being shot at lost control, hit a mailbox and crashed into two parked cars. Once officials arrived to the scene, the driver and the passenger were pronounced deceased by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
7News spoke with one woman whose car was smashed into due in the middle of this shooting claimed that Francis was barely alive when she saw her. When she tried to tell the victim that help was on the way, it was too late.
“A very tragic moment. I just started panicking. I didn’t know what to do,” said witness Joselyn Aguilera. “I saw the girl still breathing so I wanted to go in an obviously help her top be able to try to let her live, but by the time I turned around and I looked back, she was already gone.”
Police said both victims were inside of a Scion when they slammed into the mailbox and neighbor’s car following the shooting. The died outside of Aguilera’s house. “All we hear is a couple of gunshots, and we turn around to take cover,” Aguilera said. “I turn around because my sandals slipped off, and all I see is the Scion come, which is the two victims that were shot at, and hit my friend’s car which got pushed to hit my car. I looked inside the vehicle and they were both gone. They were dead.”
Police said an officer, who happened to be traveling eastbound on 207th Street, heard the shots and their police vehicle was struck by stray bullets. However, the officer was not shot at directly and was not injured.
Shortly after, 7News cameras captured police in tactical gear with rifles drawn as a police helicopter hovered above.
Traffic was diverted from the area as concerned residents stood and watched nearby.
A neighbor who asked not to be identified said she came outside when she heard the commotion. “We were inside the house putting down the kids to go to sleep, and we came outside and we saw the neighbors standing out here,” she said. “They said they heard two different shots, like people were shooting at each other, and the cops came and they blocked everything off. After that, they told us to get in the house and to stay in the house, and that’s what we’ve been doing so far.”
Police said the motive remains unknown and a connection between the victims has not been determined.
The investigation is ongoing.
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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