A Miami-Dade Transit bus in Florida City turned into a deadly scene on Saturday when an argument between two passengers escalated into gunfire, leaving one man dead, authorities said. Police were called to the site near Southwest 328th Street and the Busway around 11 a.m., following the altercation that resulted in 25-year-old Martavis Cannon being shot multiple times, according to WSVN.
The assailant, identified as 28-year-old Patrick Smith, fled the bus on foot after the shooting but later surrendered himself at a Florida City police station, reported NBC Miami, Miami-Dade Police have taken over the investigation into the incident which has stirred attention in the local community with residents voicing concerns over safety after a quick-thinking bus driver instructed passengers to exit the bus ensuring no other injuries were sustained during the incident.
"That bus is the crime scene," MDPD Detective Alvaro Zabaleta stated, as officers and the medical examiner were on site to investigate the shooting and transport Cannon's body. In the arrest affidavit, Smith claimed he acted in self-defense; however, the bus's surveillance footage allegedly shows Cannon had his hands up, shot unprovoked by Smith "striking him multiple times," WSVN reported.
The nature of the initial argument between Cannon and Smith, who were known to each other, has not been disclosed by police officials, yet the impact of the violence has reverberated through the community, with an area resident telling NBC Miami, “We almost used [the bus] today, but thank God something told us to use the Uber,” a local's thanks turned into a chilling reflection on the randomness of violence, and how narrowly tragedy can be averted; reflections mingled with relief and underlying fear were echoed as residents ponder the safety of their routines and transportation choices.
Smith now faces a charge of second-degree murder as the investigation continues and as a grieving family looks for answers, friends and loved ones of the victims stood by helplessly as Cannon’s life was cut short due to a burst of violence on what should have been a routine bus ride in Florida City.
