Three arrested in shooting of Homestead-area teen described as "good kid"
Two men and a woman have been arrested in connection with the shooting of a 16-year-old boy who was rushed to the hospital in critical condition early Friday in a neighborhood near Homestead, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
The victim, described by friends as a "good kid," was identified as Elijah Quintero.
The shooting happened around 3:45 a.m. in the area of Southwest 283rd Street and Southwest 140th Place, west of the Florida Turnpike and just north of Biscayne Drive.
Deputies said they responded to a call about a person yelling and arrived to find Quintero lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds.
Arrests announced in case
Detectives with the South District General Investigations Unit detained several individuals and later announced three arrests connected to the shooting.
Investigators said 20-year-old Napoleon Bryant was charged with attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, aggravated assault with a firearm, tampering with physical evidence while armed and unlawfully discharging a firearm in a residential area.
Jesus Aguilar, 30, was charged with tampering with physical evidence and accessory after the fact and Tazaria Alize Miller, 22, also faces charges of tampering with physical evidence and accessory after the fact.
Miami-Dade Deputy Joseph Peguero said, "It is early on in the investigation to tell you if it was isolated. It's unknown what actually occurred and why this victim was shot."
Neighbors shaken by violence
Tyrone Payne, who lives nearby, said the shooting made him think about his own family.
"So when I come home and I see this, it's disturbing and it makes me want to pay more attention to where my kids are going, what they're doing, who they're hanging around, what kind of situations they're getting into," Payne said.
"I am worried about the safety of my own children and I would want them to be safe where they are. Anything that leads to violence or a misunderstanding is a concern and I want to do everything to ensure their safety. This makes me think oh man this could have happened around my house."
He added, "I have a lot of sympathy and empathy. All I can really do is pray that he makes a full coverup and that he remains safe after this." Payne said he was praying the teen makes a full recovery.
Friends describe victim as "a good kid"
One of Quintero's friends told CBS News Miami he is "a good kid" and said they had worked together with a church group and on a team cleaning people's homes. He said he hopes Quintero will be okay.
Anyone with information that can help should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).