A man has been arrested in connection with a triple shooting at a Miami gas station that resulted in the deaths of two station employees and left another man fighting for his life, according to CBS News Miami. Miami Police took 23-year-old Jason Craig Dyer-Mitchell into custody on charges related to the incident, which occurred early Saturday morning and claimed the lives of 51-year-old Shahbaz Hussain and 42-year-old Shamun Shaukat. A third victim, 57-year-old Elijah Shorter, remains in critical condition.
The shooting unfolded at the Chevron gas station at the corner of Northwest 54 Street and 17 Avenue, where Hussain and Shaukat were affectionately known to patrons as "Sunny and Moon." Dyer-Mitchell was apprehended after police and SWAT moved onto an apartment building across from the crime scene, CBS News Miami's Nikiya Carrero reported. The suspect is now facing second-degree murder charges, with prejudice as an underlying factor.
Local customers expressed their shock and sorrow over the shooting, describing the victims as individuals who went out of their way to help people in need. "What is this world coming to?" a customer identified only as Ronnie remarked to CBS News Miami. "These guys — I haven't seen them do nothing but help people. I mean people in come [who] don't have money... [Hussain and Shaukat] help people — feed them, give them coffee — they give me free coffee every day." Another customer, Kathleen Quinn, shared her grief, saying one of the victims was a close personal friend.
The arrest affidavit cited by CBS News Miami noted that the confrontation began when Shaukat accused Dyer-Mitchell of shoplifting, leading to an exchange that escalated when Dyer-Mitchell reportedly pulled out a gun and opened fire. The police were tipped off to his identity after a sergeant recognized his hoodie belonging to a local gym, which eventually led to Dyer-Mitchell's arrest.
In addition to CBS News Miami's coverage, Hoodline reported that the Miami Police Department had not found evidence of theft and noted that no goods were stolen during the violent encounter. The Miami Police continue their investigation, and details concerning the condition of the third victim, Elijah Shorter, who was shown conscious in witness footage as he was loaded into an ambulance, remain limited.
