An alarming wave of violence has claimed yet another life in Opa-locka, as local authorities have apprehended a suspect in the fatal shooting of a delivery driver earlier this month. Local 10 News reports that Miami-Dade police arrested Dawayen Anton Bendross, 22, on charges of second-degree murder for the killing of Alejandro Linares, a 40-year-old man who was delivering a Walmart graduation gift when he was fatally shot in the chest.
Linares had been working in the Mirage at Sailboat Cove apartment complex, where the crime took place on the morning of June 8, the same complex that is now reeling from another incident on June 18, in which an Uber delivery driver was fatally shot during what appeared to be an armed robbery, as detailed by Hoodline. The victim of the second shooting, only identified as Oscar, was confronted by an armed suspect resulting in gunfire and despite quick efforts to save him, later died from the injuries inflicted.
Bendross was detained and found in possession of a Glock .45 pistol that matched the casings discovered at the scene of Linares' murder, following an alert that someone matching the shooter's description was spotted in the area. A witness has since identified Bendross as the gunman from a "need to identify" flyer, yet the motive behind the killing remains unclear. He is currently being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond, as per Local 10 News.
The recent incidents have understandably shaken residents of the gated community, one of whom, King Jordan, expressed his distress to Hoodline, "It's kind of crazy, but we have guarded gates, and Opa-locka Police spend the night here every night, so I don't know what the problem is," pointing out the irony of enduring such crime despite expected security measures. Another resident confronted and attempted to assist the second victim until police arrived, "I applied the towels to his chest, and I was trying to assist him and keep him up and awake until the police got here,” in a somber recounting of a futile struggle against a violent tide that leaves an indelible mark on the survivors.
These ongoing investigations by Opa-locka police and Miami-Dade detectives underscore an urgent need for action as the community grapples with these tragic losses, authorities continue their work and urge anyone with information to reach out to Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers, the weight of this collective grief manifest in the community's struggle for a semblance of peace amid turmoil.
