Viewing Thursday For Miami Teen Murdered Over The Weekend
HIALEAH (CBSMiami) – A viewing will be held Thursday evening for a 16-year old Miami boy who died after he was shot last weekend.
The visitation for Bryan Herrera will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Home on West 9th Street in Hialeah. Herrera's burial will be Friday.
Thursday afternoon Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho organized a group of volunteers to hand out flyers around Miami Jackson Senior High, in the 1700 block of NW 36th Street, to help police generate leads in their investigation. Herrera attended Miami Jackson High.
"This hurts all of us. This is robbing the innocence of America one child at a time. This needs to stop," Carvalho told CBS4's Peter D'Oench.
"I think anybody at all shouldn't go through this. We are here showing the family our support. That's why we came out, to support the family and find whoever did this," said 11th grader Marilyn Castro who helped distribute the flyers.
Former Student Lydiana Ortega said, "I just feel like this just shouldn't happen to anybody, particularly someone like this. There was no reason for this to happen."
Herrera was riding his bike near N.W. 11th Avenue and 39th Street in Allapattah just after 11 a.m. on Saturday when he was shot in the head. He was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center where he died.
His family said he was heading to a friend's home and planning to work on a school project.
Police say they have very little information on the gunman.
Herrera's family said they want Bryan's killer brought to justice.
"Pray for my son. Help me with whatever information you got. Any information," said Herrera's mother Ency Quintero.
Miami Police said they have no description of the shooter, don't know why Bryan was shot and described the victim as a good kid who loved computer games and who was a straight-A student with no criminal history.
"My feeling is that I am confused. I have no idea what would lead someone to commit such a violent act," said William Herrera. "That person whoever did this didn't realize he was taking such a beautiful life."
"We're trying to find out who did this and somebody must have seen something. They must have heard something. And we need them to come out and please help," said Anabel Herrera, Bryan's stepmother.
She told D'Oench "We need to get this person off the street so this does not happen to another family or any other 16 year old boy. This has to stop."
Police searched Bryan's belongings to find some clues as to why someone might want to hurt him, but all they found were game cards and sketches of comic book figures.
Carvalho, who promised to cover the remaining expenses for Bryan's funeral, called on Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez to bring police chiefs from all over the county together to develop solutions to keep kids safe both at school, and on the streets, especially in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, Conn.
"This touched me very deeply. This is where I first taught school at Miami Jackson Senior High as a teacher. The fact that the family lost a child to violence in our community three days before Christmas isn't acceptable to any of us," said Carvalho.
"We hope somebody will come forward with something and say I know whoever did this or give police a lead so they can find this person and take him off the street," said William Herrera.
Anyone who may have information on the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
