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Police Investigate Murder-Suicide Attempt At Westchester Shopping Center

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Miami-Dade Police are investigating what's being called a murder-suicide attempt at a Westchester shopping center.

The shooting happened Tuesday night at the shopping plaza on the northeast corner of 87th Avenue and Coral Way.

When police arrive, they say a woman was dead and a man had been shot.

"We were going into Aldi to do food shopping and just heard a bang," Glen Cuttler said.

Click here to watch Lauren Pastrana's report. 

"I heard a gunshot. Then I saw a girl running to cars. I wasn't sure if she was laughing or crying," said witness Alyssa Pitsoulakis. "Then I see someone turn around just holding himself. He turned back around and everyone knew someone got shot. They all ran to the front, we heard the second one, and then we called 911."

Witnesses said the shooting happened between two vehicles, a red sedan and white SUV, parked in the lot of the shopping center.

They said a man and a woman were fighting.

Police said the man shot the woman, and then turned the gun on himself.

"There were choppers flying overhead. There was just complete pandemonium behind us in the shopping center. There was already yellow tape there," Nadia Asencio explained.

Police said the man was taken to Kendall Regional Medical Center.

The woman died on the scene.

Investigators said the pair was married, but separated.

Witnesses said the female victim worked in the shopping center and so does her daughter who was there when her mother was shot, though police did not confirm that Tuesday night.

"You did see the girl sitting on the curb. She was crying, holding herself," said witness Kristopher Yllescas.

Business at the shopping center came to a stand still. Several stores and restaurants closed early as police tape blocked off access to customers.

Those who frequent the plaza were shocked to have been so close to the violence.

"You don't believe it at first. It's kind of like a shock. You have to process it, it's weird," Yllescas said.

"I'm just in disbelief that it would happen here in this area," Pitsoulakis explained.

Police have not yet released the names of the victim or the shooter.

We're waiting for an update on the man's condition as we're told his injuries were life threatening.

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