Mother Of Teen Killed In Drive-By Shooting Outside Hookah Palace Makes Plea To Find Killer
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's been one week since 17-year-old Gabriela Aldana was shot in the head during a drive-by shooting outside the Hookah Palace in west Miami-Dade.
Aldana's family hopes someone will come forward and help bring the killer to justice.
On Friday, Gabriela's mother, Susana Martinez, made her tearful plea to help find her killer.
Martinez said, "She is everything I had and they took it from me."
"She was my life."
Miami-Dade Police detectives are making a special plea for the public's help in this case.
Police said Aldana was not the target, as the investigation continues.
Authorities said they are looking for a four-door black Mercedes Benz sedan.
Diosnel Martell, one of the victim's friends, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that "She was a good girl, a beautiful girl, a very calm girl and sweet and she would not bother anybody. She was always out with her friends and nobody knows who could have done this. I am shocked. My sentiment goes out to the entire family. I want to say to all young kids that you only have one life and you can not play around with it. I have known her for year and I can tell you it hurts me very much."
It happened after 2 a.m. on May 24 at SW 24th Terrace and SW 122nd Avenue.
"The victim was in the parking lot of the shopping center when she was approached by an unknown vehicle, shots were fired from inside the vehicle striking the victim," said Miami-Dade Police Detective Angel Rodriguez.
The shooting appears to have taken place in front of a business called the Hookah Palace.
The critically injured teen was taken to Kendall Regional Medical Center where she died.
Witnesses say they saw a car speeding away from the plaza after the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
There is a reward of up to $3,000.
