A bullet from an August 21 street fight in Liberty City pierced a nearby home's garage door while residents were inside. No one in the home was injured. Miami police say the shooting led to a second arrest: 37-year-old Taji Akeem Cozart Thrasher, whom they allege fired five shots during the brawl on Northwest 53rd Street.
The confrontation followed an agreement between two women to fight at a designated time and place, according to the Miami Herald. Friends gathered in the 700 block of Northwest 53rd Street. Police allege that 22-year-old Charles Denis Jr. arrived with Thrasher and another person carrying a golf club; Denis allegedly hit a woman with it, causing a contusion to her forehead and arm. Investigators also allege Denis brought a handgun, an account he disputes. Denis has denied possessing or passing a firearm during the fight, according to Local 10 News.
The Miami Herald, citing the arrest report, said Thrasher asked Denis for the gun and said, “I'm going to shoot that s***.” Police allege Thrasher fired once at the ground near a person, who ran, then fired four more shots in that person's direction as the crowd scattered. The person was not hit. Thrasher and Denis later left the neighborhood, the outlet reported.
Shell Casings and a Bullet Hole Tell the Story
Responding officers recovered six spent shell casings and found a bullet hole in the home's garage door, Local 10 News reported. The residents inside were not injured. The station also reported that witness descriptions and the physical evidence documented the gunfire during the fast-moving confrontation.
A witness who said she had known Denis for most of her life identified Denis and Thrasher in photo lineups, Local 10 News reported. Denis was arrested September 15 and was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Miami police's Violent Crimes Unit arrested Thrasher on September 24, more than a week later.
Charges Carry Steep Mandatory Penalties
Thrasher faces attempted second-degree murder along with charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, using a firearm while committing a felony, shooting a deadly missile, improper exhibition of a firearm, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a public place, according to the Miami Herald. Under Florida Statute § 790.19, shooting at or into a private building is a second-degree felony carrying up to 15 years in state prison, 15 years of probation, and fines as high as $10,000, according to Sercombe Law.
The felon-in-possession charge carries its own weight. Florida Statute § 790.23 mandates a second-degree felony for a convicted felon found in actual possession of a firearm, triggering a mandatory minimum three-year prison sentence under the state's 10-20-Life law, per The Rodriguez Law Office.
A Neighborhood Still Grappling With Gunfire
The shooting happened the same night Miami police were investigating another overnight shooting along Northwest 7th Avenue, where a car was struck by multiple bullets, as Hoodline previously reported. Hoodline also covered a bystander shooting tied to a TikTok Live feud in nearby Liberty City.
What the Homicide Data Shows — and What It Doesn't
The Miami Times reported that Scaling Safety counted five firearm-related homicides in ZIP code 33147 in 2024, down from 31 in 2020. That ZIP code covers much of Liberty City, not the entire neighborhood, so the figures should not be treated as a count for Liberty City alone. The Miami Times reported the figures from Scaling Safety's analysis. For comparison, WLRN reported that Scaling Safety's analysis of local medical examiner data found Miami-Dade County homicides of all types declined 39% and firearm-related homicides declined 42% from 2020 to 2024. WLRN also reported a relationship between violence-intervention programs and homicide declines and described the work of the Circle of Brotherhood.
WLRN reported fewer homicides in ZIP code 33147. The NW 53rd Street case illustrates how quickly a personal dispute among a group of young people can turn into a public safety emergency, even as broader homicide numbers trend downward.
