Miami-Dade Corrections Officer Arrested In Shooting Of Opa-locka Woman

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Miami-Dade corrections officer has been arrested in connection to the shooting of a woman at her home Monday night in Opa-locka.

The mother of that victim, Doris Chavarrio, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that her 31-year-old daughter Wendy Vazquez is in "really bad condition" after being shot in the chest.

"I feel so bad that this man would come to my home and try to kill my daughter," said Chavarrio. "There are no words. He is the father of my granddaughter. We were going to celebrate the 1st birthday of my granddaughter this weekend."

"The bullet went by her heart," she said. "It went through her lung and she is in really bad condition. She told him she wanted to move on and he wanted him to leave her alone. he was her former boyfriend and he kept coming back. I am praying for my daughter to survive. He ran away like a coward knowing he left behind my daughter."

Opa-locka police said David Mercado, 46, went to the victim's house in the 1000 block of Sultan Avenue, where he shot her twice in the chest.

Police said the victim identified Mercado to responding officers as the father of her baby.

Authorities said it all started when Mercado arrived at the residence and found the victim in bed with another man.

Mercado came to the bedroom window where the victim says he began yelling at her and threatening the man inside the house, police said.

Mercado then made his way to the front door, where the victim attempted to calm him down, but he pushed his way into the house, according to police.

Once inside the residence, Mercado made his way to the bedroom where the other man still in bed, holding the couples' baby, police said.

That is when the shooting took place, according to the victim.

She told police she got between Mercado and the second man and that is when Mercado shot her in the chest.

Police said the second man fearing for his life, pulled out his own gun and shot at Mercado.

The victim said that Mercado fled the scene in a black Crown Victoria and that he had been in uniform at the time of the shooting.

Police said Mercado was arrested at Palmetto hospital, where he was treated for a minor wound to the chest.

Mercado appeared in bond court on Tuesday morning and will return to court on Wednesday with his union attorney. He faces serious charges, including premeditated attempted murder.

The victim was transported to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital where she is being treated for her wounds.

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