Family Of Pregnant Woman, Fetus Shot In Drive-By Begs Public For Answers
MIAMI (CBS4) - The heartbroken mother of a young Miami woman who was critically wounded in a drive-by shooting at a convenience store is appealing for the public's help, saying "I don't know why someone would do something like that."
An emotional Kimilee Davis told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that she has spent a lot of time at the bedside of her 27-year-old daughter Tiffany Davis at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she is conscious but cannot speak after being shot in the stomach and the head.
Davis spoke out at Miami Police headquarters Friday.
"All I can say is my daughter is innocent. There was no reason for her to be like that," said Davis. "It hurts so bad what happened to her and what happened to her daughter."
Tiffany Davis was eight months pregnant. Doctors delivered her daughter Skyler prematurely on Monday after the shooting. She was born with a bullet wound in her arm because one of the bullets that struck her mother passed through Skyler's arm.
Police say Davis was an innocent victim. She was shot and her friend 18-year-old Rodney Durant Jr. was killed while both were walking out of an Overtown convenience store at 7:35 p.m. last Sunday at Northwest 2nd Court and 17th Street.
Detective John Rusinque said eight to ten shots were fired and said it appeared that Durant was the intended target. They fled in an SUV that is either dark green or black.
He said there was a very limited description of the two young suspects.
"It would mean a lot to catch whoever did this," said Durant's sister Porsha Scott. "It would mean a lot."
She said her brother had planned to try to join the military.
"That was his dream and that was his hope. And I just want to say this had nothing to do with drugs. He had nothing to do with drugs," said Scott.
Tiffany Davis's aunt, Vickie Smith, said, "For someone to come up and shoot her like this, she did not deserve that. Please come forward, whoever did this. This would mean so much to us. It's our family."
Catina Wynter, who is also an aunt of Tiffany Davis, said "Not only was Tiffany pregnant, but she has two other daughters who are 3 and 6 who the family needs to take care."
Detective Rusinque said "If someone can shoot at a pregnant woman, what is he going to do the next time. We need to get this person off the street."
Pastor Amos Allen urged anyone with information to come forward.
Surces told D'Oench that the shooting most likely stemmed from an ongoing "turf war" in that area.
Vickie Smith noted, "Today it was our family. But it could be your family tomorrow."
Anyone with information that can help Miami Police should call them or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
