Car Wash Owner's Murder Brings Miami Gardens Community Together
MIAMI GARDENS (CBS4) - Dawn Barrett is still grieving the loss of the love of her life and father of her two children, Errold Peart, was shot and killed Sunday at his car wash in Miami Gardens.
"It hurts me so bad. It's not okay," said Dawn Barrett.
Police say he was shot while trying to help a customer who was being robbed at gunpoint.
"I'd always ask him, what about us," Barrett said.
"His favorite thing to say was 'everything will be okay.' Well is everything okay now? No, it's not okay. It is not okay. They shot the man dead. It's not okay," she said out of frustration as tears filled her eyes.
Today members of the community met with Miami Gardens Police and religious leaders to discuss and strategize how they can prevent violent crimes, like the shooting that took Peart's life.
Police believe breaking the community's code of silence after a crime is committed would be a good first step, and that message will be echoed from local pulpits Sunday morning.
"Tell who it is, give tag numbers and descriptions of what you see," said Reverend Eric Readon. Readon is the pastor of New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church.
"Break the code of silence because its somebody else today but tomorrow it could be your family and you'd want people to break the code of silence for you."
"I think it's a good thing that people are tired of this type of violence being committed by juveniles," said Dameoin Peart, the victim's son.
He and his mother were comforted by the effort.
So far, no arrests have been made in Peart's shooting, but anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
