Police Increase Reward To $10,000 In Shooting Of Three Teens On Brownsville Street; Victim's Uncle Speaks Out
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami-Dade Police Department announced they have increased the reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the shooting of three teens in Brownsville.
The reward is now $10,000.
Police said the teens were shot around 7:30 Monday night on NW 51st Street near busy 22nd Avenue, a neighborhood filled with families.
Investigators said one of the boys is 14 years old while the other two are 15. It's unclear if any of them live nearby.
CBS4's Peter D'Oench spoke with the uncle of the 14-year-old boy who he said was shot in the back.
His teenage uncle Mekhi Taylor said, "He was shot in the back but he is doing better. I feel they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I Never thought all three of them would get shot Ike that. Yes, this upsets me. It upsets me. There was no reason for this. To be honest with you I am upset because I don't know who did this. That's just crazy. It was crazy it happening like that. I have no idea who did that. It happened right outside my home. I was laying down when I heard the shots and my brother and girlfriend were there."
"I would like someone to come forward and tell us or tell the police," he said. "But who is going to snitch in the neighborhood. Well, maybe they just might talk to police. To the families, I say stay strong. Stay strong. And keep their prayers up. Keep their prayers up."
Taylor's nephew lives less than a mile away from the crime scene. Taylor said it's not clear where the other victims live. He said one of the 15-year-old victims was released from the hospital after being grazed twice in the leg.
Miami-Dade Police released a flyer about the other 15-year-old victim, Wrollan Foulkes, who Taylor said was shot in the head. Miami-Dade Police said he was critical and not expected to survive and they asked for the public's help.
CBS4's news partner The Miami Herald spoke to Wrollan's mother.
She told them he is a ninth grader at Booker T. Washington High School who loves dogs and basketball. She too wants your help finding whoever harmed her son.
Detectives believe all three were in the road when someone approached them with a gun and opened fire.
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Police have not said where the teens were shot, but Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took all three to the hospital where they are in critical condition.
"This is a senseless and heinous shooting of two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old," said Det. Kristopher Welch. "Again, we are going to be asking the community, if you have any information in reference to this crime, please call."
Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez had tweeted, "Last night's shooting of 3 teens cannot and should not be tolerated by our community. We need your tips to arrest those responsible for this vicious assault. The Miami-Dade Police Department will be adding $5,000 to the reward fund."
Det. Welch told D'Oench that the initial reward was $5,000 because Miami-Dade Police had been treating this violent crime like a homicide so with Ramirez's announcement, the reward is now $10,000.
So far, there's no description of the person responsible.
If you have any details to help investigators, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
