Man in critical but stable condition after apparent shooting at Northwest Miami-Dade shopping center
NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE — One man is in critical but stable condition after an apparent shooting at a shopping center in Northwest Miami-Dade on Saturday morning.
Miami-Dade Police Det. Andre Martin told reporters that according to investigators, the victim entered the Vistas Shopping Center on Northwest 186th Street around 9:27 a.m. while driving his van when a shooter produced a gun and shot into the victim's van.
The victim then exited his vehicle and looked for medical attention, entering two different businesses before collapsing inside of a Sedano's supermarket. He was then airlifted and transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to the Ryder Trauma Center, where he is currently being treated for his injuries.
CBS News Miami called the Sedano's in the plaza and spoke with an employee who said they were okay inside the store. That employee told CBS News Miami they did hear a large commotion outside of the store but was not sure what happened.
"The area around here, it's not heard of you get shots around Miami lakes. So I got kind of scared," said Daniel San German, who works at the shopping plaza.
There was a large number of evidence markers on the floor and investigators in the area. CBS News Miami was told that the grocery store and other businesses were under lockdown at the time of the incident.
People who were trying to get in or out of the plaza at the time were shocked at the sight as the van sat in the driveway riddled with bullet holes.
"A white van with some holes in front of the glass, three bullet holes I saw. Pulled into the Sedano's very quick and fast," San German said.
"Saw somebody follow him, they block it off and then they get out from the car and they start shooting the guy," said Henry Almonte, another plaza employee.
The plaza was shut down for hours and people were locked inside of the stores as police investigated what led to the shooting. People running their Saturday morning errands at the Vista Shopping Center did not expect to be in the middle of a crime scene.
"You don't feel safe anywhere now. I mean Everywhere you go someone is shooting. Someone is robbing. It's bad, very bad," said shopper Lazaro Fraga.
"This shopping center on a Saturday morning of course had many many customers in it. We are grateful and thankful that are no one else was injured and this was, it could've been a great tragedy," Martin said.
Martin said that police encourage anyone in the area who witnessed the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS with any sort of information they may have.
