Boyfriend Of Woman Who Was Shot At Near Fontainebleau Hotel: 'Someone Tried To Rob Her'
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - There were frightening moments Wednesday morning when a woman who was shot at while in her car on Miami Beach near the Fontainebleau Hotel. She was injured when glass shattered in her car and she drove more than 30 blocks to safety in North Beach.
That's where her boyfriend told CBS4 that "Someone tried to rob her."
"It was just before 8:30 in the morning when we were seeing multiple calls indicating a shooting near 44th Street and Collins Avenue. The information we received indicated the shooting was amongst two vehicles, a white Mercedes as well as an SUV BMW that was white in color," said police spokesman, Officer Ernesto Rodriguez.
As police raced to the scene, they found the Mercedes about 30 blocks away near 74th Street and Collins Avenue at Gary Avenue and Bruce Street.
"We discovered a vehicle, the Mercedes, that the vehicle itself was shot multiple times. The female inside sustained injuries from what appears to be shattered glass. She was treated on the scene by Miami Beach Fire Rescue and released. She was then taken to police headquarters for questioning," said Rodriguez.
Schools in the area of the shooting were placed on lockdown as a precaution.
"With all the youngsters going back to school we placed a number of schools on lockdown because safety is our number one priority. This could have had a much different ending," said Rodriguez.
The lockdowns have since been lifted.
The woman's boyfriend, who would only say his name was Anthony, rushed to the scene after hearing her car had been shot at.
"I don't know what happened to her but I do know that someone tried to rob her, She called my phone screaming. Me and my brother on three-way looked for her the whole time. They shot the window, I heard shots on the phone, she was screaming and panicking, " he said.
He told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "I have been calling and calling and calling and that is the reason why police are here at this scene. I was able to get her location through my phone."
CBS4 found a yacht at 44th Street and Collins Avenue with a least one bullet hole in it. Police on the scene said it may have come from the shooting.
Rodriguez said police are trying to figure out what led to the shooting.
"We know there was some sort of disturbance between the occupants of both vehicles. We don't know if that began out of the vehicle, at a different location, there's a lot of detective work that still needs to be pieced together," said Rodriguez.
Police so far do not have a motive or a more detailed description of the white BMW that took off.
They will be checking cameras on Collins Avenue, and in the area, and encourage anyone with cell phone video who can help to come forward and call Miami Beach Police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
Rodriguez said "This could have ended much differently. But the officers saturated the area, not just one area but pretty much a large span of Miami Beach from mid Beach to North Beach."
