Family Of Teen Killed By Homestead Officer Protest At Police HQ
HOMESTEAD (CBSMiami) – About 2 dozen family and friends of a Homestead teen who was shot and killed by a police officer staged a protest in front of police headquarters on Monday demanding answers. They were forced to move because they didn't have a permit, but that didn't silence their demands for answers.
"We're not getting the answers we deserve you know, as a family. We're trying to stick together; we're a very big family, Danny Cruz is going to be missed like crazy," said his aunt, Milly Velez.
The shooting happened overnight last Thursday, Feb. 2nd, at the Chevron gas station on U.S. 1 and Campbell Drive.
Danny Cruz, 16, reportedly walked up to the clerk on duty and asked for some Tylenol. When the clerk said she didn't have any, Cruz asked for some Motrin, according to a clerk who was not on duty at the time of the shooting. Cruz then paid one dollar for the package and then asked for the dollar back. When the cashier saw that he had what looked like a weapon, she hit a panic button which alerted police.
When officers arrived, the situation took a tragic turn.
"The individual implied they had a gun by his gesture of pointing a weapon at the officers and that's when the officers shot him," said Det. Javier Baez of the Miami-Dade Police Department. "The first and foremost thing is that we have to protect ourselves. An officer has a right to protect himself."
Despite the police story, the Cruz family is angry and left with more questions than answers.
"This message is for you. I wanted you to know you shattered me into pieces by shooting my brother," Sarah Garcia, Cruz's sister, said as if she was speaking to the officer who shot her brother.
Cruz's family said they don't know why he was at the Chevron, how he got there or why he would have a gun on him. They also denied he had any involvement with gangs. What they do want is to see the surveillance video of what happened in the store, video which remains off-limits as part of the police investigation.
"The Homestead Police Department would like to offer our condolences to the family and friends of Danny Cruz," said Det. Fernando Moralez, of the Homestead Police. "This was an unfortunate incident and is currently under thorough investigation by the Miami Dade Police Department."
Police said Cruz had no previous history with law enforcement before the shooting.
