A 15-year-old boy was hospitalized after being shot in a drive-by shooting in Florida City yesterday afternoon. The incident occurred on the 1500 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue, as reported by WSVN. The teen was found with a gunshot wound to his leg and was taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
A local resident, who chose to remain anonymous, described the scene, saying the car approached the teen while he was walking on the sidewalk and shot at him. The boy managed to run to safety after the shooter’s gun jammed.
Alvin Pittman, another resident, described the terrifying moments as the gunfire erupted near his family. “We saw it all,” he told Local 10, expressing gratitude that his family was not harmed. He also recalled bringing his granddaughter indoors moments before the shooting began.
The drive-by is part of a series of violent incidents in the area, including the shooting deaths of a 13-year-old in January and a 9-year-old in November. A neighbor expressed ongoing fear, saying "Still scared right now. Yeah, still scared. Thanking God for my family, thanking God for my family that we all was safe," in a statement obtained by WSVN.
The teen is recovering, and law enforcement is searching for information to help identify the shooters. Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for tips leading to an arrest. They can be reached at 305-471-TIPS, with anonymity guaranteed.
