A late-night confrontation in a North Miami Beach high-rise parking garage has led to a serious attempted murder charge for a 24-year-old Aventura woman, after a shooting that left a 35-year-old man wounded on March 15. The man was taken to Aventura Hospital with a gunshot wound to his lower back, and investigators say surveillance cameras and building access records became the backbone of their case.
Jail records list the suspect as Laura Tavarez Ramirez, who is charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm or deadly weapon in connection with the incident at 16395 Biscayne Boulevard, according to Local 10. The records show Tavarez Ramirez is being held without bond at the county jail while detectives continue to dig through evidence.
The injured man did not mince words when he called 911, reportedly telling dispatchers, "Laura shot me," before later picking Tavarez Ramirez out from surveillance images, as reported by Local 10. Investigators say building video shows the pair riding an elevator together, appearing on upper floors, then heading to the eighth-floor garage. Moments later, a woman is seen running from the area, and a black Range Rover is captured leaving the property. Elevator access logs, police say, show a key fob was used that is registered to a penthouse unit linked to Tavarez Ramirez.
Investigation and evidence
Detectives who searched the apartment tied to Tavarez Ramirez say they found a live 9mm round, an empty ammunition box and a firearm box that matched a weapon recovered in the parking garage. Officers also located a second handgun near a garage ramp, according to the police report.
The victim, investigators noted, had been carrying several high-value items at the time, including multiple diamond watches and a bag containing Cuban link gold chains. Police say those details could end up being important as they sort out exactly what led up to the gunfire.
The high-rise where the shooting occurred, at 16395 Biscayne Boulevard, is the address of the Soleste NoMi Beach complex, according to Apartment Home Living. So far, authorities have not publicly discussed a motive and say they are still reviewing video, physical evidence and forensic results.
What the charge means
Under the Florida Bar's proposed jury instructions, attempted second-degree murder requires proof that the defendant intentionally committed an act that could have caused someone's death, and that the act was imminently dangerous and showed a depraved mind. It is a charge that prosecutors in Florida typically pursue aggressively, and early courtroom battles often center on what the defendant intended and whether the act was abandoned before it could become fatal.
Tavarez Ramirez remains in county custody while North Miami Beach detectives keep working the case. Police have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators, and have not said whether they expect to make additional arrests.
