Outraged Aunt Of Victim In Liberty City Shooting Speaking Out
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -The outraged aunt of an 18-year-old man who lost his life after he and three others were shot Sunday is speaking out, urging the community to help police find the shooter and saying too many young people are losing their lives to "senseless killings."
Shirelda Thomas, the aunt of Ricky Dixon, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "I think we are losing young people on a day to day basis to senseless killings and we can't understand why we are losing young people so much. We can't bring them back."
Fighting back tears inside her apartment, she said, "He meant the world to us. He was his mom's only son. We can't bring him back and there's nothing we can do to ease his pain or the family's pain. He didn't even get a chance to live his life yer. He played baseball. He was outgoing. He played football."
"We need justice for our family and ever other family," she said. "If you see something, say something. Everyone is quiet until it hits home. If you know something, say something. If everyone gets together and starts opening their mouths, a lot of these senseless killings will stop because people are to afraid other people are going to say something."
Thomas said Dixon had attended Miami Northwestern Senior High school and had withdrawn and was hoping to attend another school.
A current Miami Northwestern student was killed and another was injured in the shooting that happened over the weekend in Liberty City.
Miami Police responded to the scene off NW 63rd Street and 13th Place around 2 p.m. Sunday.
In all four people were shot. Three were rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital where 17-year-old, MIami Northwestern student Kimson Green died.
An unidentified 12th grade student at Miami Northwestern and an unidentified 4th person both survived.
Dixon died at the scene.
"As far as I know he was riding with a couple of friends and they said a car turned around a car started shooting at them but you know there are a lot of different stories so we don't know exactly what happened," said Thomas.
"Ricky was a sweetheart, very outgoing, a family's kid. We never had any problems out of Ricky," said Thomas.
Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho confirmed that a 10th grader from Miami Northwestern Senior High was killed in the shooting and 12th grader from the school was injured.
"Their innocence and the innocence of the community is being chipped away one life, one soul at a time," he said.
The death of one of their students hit the teachers at school hard as they remembered him as a good kid.
"He's a good kid, he's mannerable, he's respectful," teacher Valencia Woodbine.
"He was always smiling, on May 9th he was gonna be inducted into the National Honor Society," said Shakeita Gunder.
"The Liberty Square shootings over the weekend left two young men dead. Once again, our community suffers because young people do not value life nor see any other means of settling disputes," said Miami-Dade Commission Vice Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson in a statement.
Miami Northwestern is no stranger to this kind of violence. More than five students from the school have been shot and killed in less than three years.
"The students are saying 'Mr. Arstide enough is enough, we need to begin to look at us being part of the solution'," said school Principal Wallace Aristide.
This latest shooting happened just two blocks from where four-year-old Nyla Jones was shot and killed by her uncle last Sunday. Relatives say the little girl was shot after an argument over food stamps.
In this case, officials believe the shooting may have been gang-related.
On Sunday, Miami Mayor Fran is Suarez said more than one person creeped up on the victims and fired more than 25 shots. He said police presence would be increased in the area.
The search continues for those responsible.
Miami Police Officer and spokeswoman Kiera Delva told D'Oenh that police have no suspects and no motive right now.
Anyone with information should call Miami-DADE Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
There is a reward of up to $3,000 and callers will remain anonymous.
