HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - Rescue crews airlifted a woman to the hospital after, police said, she was shot outside of her dental office in Hialeah.
Hialeah Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to a shooting in the area of East Eighth Avenue and 41st Street at approximately 10:15 a.m., Tuesday.
According to investigators, the dentist, later identified as 59-year-old Carmen Ramirez, was shot on the stairs of her office building.
A woman said she heard multiple shots.
“I felt like seven shots, one after the other,” she said in Spanish.
The witness said she came outside and heard a woman screaming and someone yelling, “Call the rescue!”
Aerial cameras later showed rescue crews wheeling the victim on a stretcher into the air rescue helicopter.
The helicopter landed at a field near North Hialeah Elementary School.
The victim’s husband, Pablo Sanchez, later showed up at the scene about an hour after the incident.
“She is in surgery,” he told reporters in Spanish.
Ramirez was transported to Ryder Trauma Center where she is currently listed in stable condition.
“She is my wife. She is magnificent,” said Sanchez.
Back at the scene, 7News cameras captured dry blood on the steps where, police said, Ramirez was injured.
Crime scene investigators remained at the scene well into the afternoon. They kept the area surrounding the building cordoned off for hours.
Archie Mercado said he had scheduled a 10:30 a.m. appointment with Ramirez, Tuesday morning.
“I gave her a call today around 10:19 because I was late,” he said.
But closed streets and heavy traffic from the scene of the shooting prevented him from reaching the victim’s office.
It wasn’t until he got home that Mercado learned his dentist was the one who was shot.
“I said, ‘Oh, my God. It can’t be her,’ but it was her,” he said. “That is the same stairs that I use every time that I go to her office. I’m blessed. That’s all I can say.”
A woman who works in the area and is also a patient of the victim said Ramirez is a good person.
She said she didn’t work on Tuesday but feels scared and is still in shock.
Police continue to investigate but said the shooting is not believed to be a random act of violence nor a robbery.
“I hope that all the prayers, everybody that knows her, and even if you don’t know her, please keep praying for this lady,” said Mercado. “She’s a very hardworking woman.”
The staff at a nearby business said detectives have collected their surveillance video.
Hialeah Police have not provided further details about a motive or suspect, as they continue to investigate.
On Tuesday afternoon, they said investigators have promising leads.
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 $1,000 reward.
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