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4 Children Shot At NW Miami-Dade Park

MIAMI (CBS4) – Miami-Dade Police are looking for two gunmen who opened fire at West Little River Park early Tuesday evening, shooting four children.

Miami-Dade Police Det. Roy Rutland says the shooting happened at 2326 NW 84th Street at around 6 p.m. Witnesses say the park was filled with kids playing basketball and youth football players and cheerleaders who were about to have a practice session. Authorities say the four kids were not the intended targets. They believe suspected gang members in the park at the time were the targets.

Monday night, 3-year-old Jabhari Payne was released from the hospital. He was grazed by a bullet while in the arms of his aunt, 16-year-old Zamara Barnes who was shot in the back. Barnes was also released late Tuesday night.

A 13-year-old boy also went home from the hospital. An 11-year-old boy who was shot in the leg remains in recovery.

12-year-old Cirde Perkins was walking to cheerleading practice in the park  when the bullets started to fly. She told CBS4's Natalia Zea the 11 year old boy was shot right next to her. She rushed to help him.

"I got on the ground and I crawled out of the gate to see if he was okay...He kept on saying that he didn't want to die," said Perkins.

Zamara Barnes' mother Sonya Starks broke into tears when thinking about the ruthless men who shot up the park.

"It's crazy! They have no regard for life. You hear it on the news about it but never think your child would get shot," said Starks.

Eduardo Barnes, a football coach in the park and the grandfather of 3-year-old Jahbari said, "It's ridiculous that kids can't go out there and learn a sport."

Police say the shooters drove up in two different cars, wearing masks and firing an AK-47 and a high-caliber handgun.

Police believe the intended targets may be gang members that were in the park at the time. Despite being questioned, they refuse to cooperate with police.

Police are looking for a Blue Dodge Challenger and a Black Ford Fusion or Nissan Altima. Both have very dark tints.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.

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