Police Arrest Suspect In Young Mother's Murder
MIAMI (CBS4) - Nearly two months after a 25-year-old mother of five children was gunned down after living a Miami Club, police say they have arrested the gunman and identified four other men who were with him when he sprayed the victim's car with bullets.
"I'm glad they caught those cowards," said a tearful, grieving Mary Lampley, the mother of the victim, Lakisha Lampley. "She was my world to me. I feel happy about this arrest but I am still crying every night."
Miami Police have charged 20-year-old Ansel Smart with first degree murder in Lampley's death. He was arrested on Saturday and after a court appearance that day, he was held without bond.
"I'm happy about the arrest," Mary Lampley told CBS4's Peter D'Oench. "But still inside I will never forget it. It hurts so much. It hurts so much. But there's nothing I can do. I'm so glad they caught them. I feel alright but the pain is still there because my daughter is gone and there is nothing I can do. Every day I cry about my daughter, every day until I die, she's my daughter. She was my backbone, my daughter, my sister, my cousin. Now she's gone I don't know what to do."
Lampley and her younger sister Princess and four other men had just left the Forever 21 Club in Allapattah at N.W 36th St. and N.W. 35th St. around 3 a.m. on August 12th and were on their way home when the shooting happened at roughly N.W. 36th St. and N.W. 14th Ave. Lampley was rushed to North Shore Hospital where she later died.
Lampley had been a passenger in the rear of her friends grey Nissan Altima and police say she was not the target of the shooting. The driver of her car and most of its occupants were from Broward County and were not familiar with the area of the incident, which is why she was taken to North Shore Hospital instead of nearby Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Police said Lampley was shot by a gunman who was inside a black Tahoe that was captured on surveillance tape. Detectives eventually found that SUV and it provided some important clues that lead to Smart's arrest.
A day after the shooting, Lampley's mother Mary and sister Princess appealed to the public for help at a news conference at the Miami Police Department.
Lampley was the mother of five children between nine months and 10 years old. Her family said she had dreamed of becoming a nurse one day.
Princess Lampley told CBS4, "The shooting so quick that it was out of nowhere. "I have recovered from the wound in my arm and I feel good about the arrest. I feel good that justice was served. Now my sister can rest in peace. But people out there should think about what they are doing to innocent people who are getting killed.
Lampley's grandmother Joann told D'Oench that she had prayed for an arrest in this case.
"I was so happy," said Joann Lampley, "that I cried. I got on my knees and I thanked God. What they did they deserve to stay in prison a long time. They shouldn't be killing innocent people, innocent bystanders. She had 5 kids. I think that was wrong. I'm glad justice was served."
Because police have identified four other people who were in the vehicle with Smart, they say more arrests are possible.
Roscella Plowden, a cousin of Lampley, said, "We're happy about an arrest but so sad about the way in which she died. They don't need this sort of violence and need to get such people off the streets."
Anthony Walters, a cousin of Lampley, "I am grateful about this arrest. Now the city of Miami needs to step down on guys lock this and lock down these guns and put them away because people are at risk."
CBS4 stopped at Smart's home in Miami, but family members told D'Oench that they did not want to comment or say anything on camera.
