Authorities called on the public to help identify gunmen who indiscriminately sprayed bullets into crowds at two Miami-area venues over the weekend, killing a total of three people. Two people died and over 20 others were wounded early Sunday morning during a shooting outside a concert in Miami-Dade County, about a day after a drive-by shooting killed one person and injured six in Miami’s Wynwood arts district.
In northwest Miami-Dade County, police said three hooded men armed with assault rifles and handguns jumped out of a white Nissan Pathfinder and opened fire, CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez reports. Police on Monday said investigators believe the shooting was the result of an ongoing rivalry between two groups.
“This type of gun violence has to stop. Every weekend it’s the same thing,” said the police director of Miami-Dade County, Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez III, whose officers were hunting down the suspects in Sunday’s shooting that took place shortly after midnight.
“These are cold blooded murderers that shot indiscriminately into a crowd and we will seek justice,” Ramirez said in a tweet.
Two people died at the scene, police said. Over 20 people went to various hospitals for treatment with three in critical condition.
Businessman and TV personality Marcus Lemonis, star of “The Profit,” took to Twitter to offer a $100,000 reward to help authorities capture the suspects. Other rewards raised the total to $130,000.
Angelica Green said her son was shot in the abdomen, but he’s now in an ICU trauma unit in stable condition.
“He called us frantic, telling us he had been shot, that it hurts, it hurts and he loves us,” Green said.
Clayton Dillard and his family waited outside the El Mula Banquet Hall, which had been rented out for a concert, hoping for news about a loved one they feared was among the two fatalities.
“I know he’s there,” Dillard said, “but they won’t let me come claim him.”
Republican Governor Ron DeSantis joined in mourning, saying on Twitter he was “praying for the recovery” of the victims and pledged help from state authorities.
“We are working with local authorities to bring justice to the perpetrators. Justice needs to be swift & severe!” DeSantis tweeted.
Sunday’s shooting came a little over a day after a drive-by shooting claimed the life of one person outside another venue about 13 miles away in Miami. Six others were injured. Some witnesses likened the scene to a “war zone” after a barrage of dozens of bullets sent people scurrying in the night.
On CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo expressed his frustration over America’s persistent gun violence, urging lawmakers to take action.
“Without legislation, without certainty as it relates to holding these criminals accountable, we’re never going to get through the summer,” Acevedo said.
Democratic state Senator Shevrin Jones said he wants DeSantis to do more than just pray. He’s calling on the governor to sit down with Democrats to discuss meaningful ways of addressing gun violence.
“Thoughts and prayers have been going on for years and thoughts and prayers haven’t done a damn thing inside the Black community – or any community when it comes to gun violence,” Jones said.
But he acknowledged Republicans are resistant to discuss the issue.
“Republicans don’t want to talk about guns. They think we’re trying to take their guns away from them. If their talking point is that guns are for protection, or that guns are for hunting, just know that that terminology is different in certain communities,” Jones said. “Some of these individuals are using guns to murder. Some of these individuals are using guns to hunt people.”
