Families Of Girls Shot In Liberty City Want Violence To End
MIAMI (CBS4) - Sophia Taylor's 18-year old daughter Jacquelyn Powell was one of three teen hospitalized after they were injured in a drive by shooting in Liberty City.
"I almost had a panic attack. It's my baby. I was feeling something going wrong," said Taylor.
Miami police said the three girls; Powell, 10-year old Delshaureah Wright and a 15-year old were outside a home when someone started shooting from inside a car along NW 13th Court and 66th Street.
Wright is recovering at the Holtz Children's Hospital and is in good condition after being shot in the right arm. She spoke to reporters from a wheelchair as she was clutching stuffed teddy bears.
"It hurts a little," she said, looking at her right arm. "But it's going to be ok."
"I was walking through the community and going to get an ice cream," she said. "I thought the gunshots were firecrackers going off. I looked at my arm and it was bleeding. I looked down and saw blood. Now I am scared to go back there."
Her mother Tracey Wright told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "I'm very scared to go out there. I am afraid for all of my kids."
Delshaureah's father Delvin Wright pleaded for help from the community. "If you know anything, say something. This could happen again. This could happen to you."
D'Oench also spoke with the mother of the unidentified, wounded 15-year-old girl. She did not want her identity revealed, only identifying herself as "Shante."
She said, "I'm a single mother of six and we want to move out. My daughter is in a state of shock. She's scared and she doesn't want to come home. She is living with her grandmother."
"I feel real bad," she said. "I feel bad that innocent children can get hurt like this. It's hurtful and it's crazy to know that someone can shoot into a crowd of children. If anybody knows anything about the shooting on 13th court, please come forward. There have been a lot of innocent kids that have been killed or hurt in this area. Someone needs to standup for the kids."
"It was terrifying. That's the first time I've ever seen anybody get shot," said Michael King.
"My baby got shot four times, one in the neck, in the face and in the arm," said Taylor on Tuesday. "I feel real broken right now. My child got shot and another child got shot with her. Maybe one was targeted. I hope they catch these guys."
Investigators said they are uncertain how many people were inside the car at the time of the shooting.
"They said there was fighting going on with one of the girls and she called one of the boys to come back and shoot them," said Taylor.
Lulu Branes, who is a cousin of Wright, said, "This hurts. This never should have happened. They shouldn't have done that because now their life is never going to be the same. And it all came from a fight they were having with another girl."
Wright's grandmother, Cynthia Brown, said this type of senseless violence needs to end.
"They need to stop it. These kids want to grow up to be adults," said Brown. "They can't play in their own neighborhoods because ignorant people out there are doing these things."
Taylor agrees.
"There are too many kids out there getting killed and targeted. They need to start putting love inside their heart and stop killing each other. Let go of the game and go with God," said Taylor.
"We should stop the violence and come together as people. We all got to live here. It's just sad that this happens all the time," said Nowell Hayes.
Family members said Wright, a fourth grader who dreams of becoming a doctor, will need surgery. Powell, who was grazed on her right cheek, neck, arm and on the right side of her stomach is expected to be okay.
Police are looking into whether the shooting may have been related to a turf war in Liberty City and whether any other teenage girls were involved.
Anyone with information about this case should call Miami Police or Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
