Two teenagers were hospitalized following a shooting outside an apartment complex in Lauderhill yesterday afternoon, with one in critical condition and the other in serious condition. The incident, which took place around 4 p.m. on Northwest 43rd Terrace near Northwest 19th Street, led to the admission of the teens, ages 16 and 17, to Broward Health Medical Center; family members later revealed 16-year-old Shiraj Brown was shot in the leg and Tiara Higgs, his mother, stated in a plea for information, "I don't know if anyone knows anything, but come and say something," during a family prayer gathering outside the hospital, NBC Miami reports.
As law enforcement seeks leads, the Lauderhill Police Department has not yet identified a suspect or established a clear motive for the attack which resulted in officers finding the juveniles suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot while the motive for the shooting remains unknown according to Lauderhill Police officials, CBS News Miami has identified the youths as best friends and showed Chopper 4 footage of the crime scene investigation near a playground inside the complex.
Barbara Brown, the grandmother of the wounded teen, referred to the scary event as a wake-up call lamenting, "I hope we get it right after this, the ones who aren't doing right, I hope they get it right and get it together after this," indicating the strength of her family's faith and collective prayer in face of adversity and a vigil held outside of the healthcare facility marked by communal hope and solidarity, as detailed by NBC Miami.
Aerial visuals captured by Chopper 6 and displayed by NBC Miami showed evidence of the violence marked by bloodstains in the street as police cordoned off the area hence compelling the community to reckon with the eruption of gun violence within its bounds. As the investigation continues, Lauderhill authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the Lauderhill Police Department at 954-497-4700 or to anonymously reach Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).
