4 men, 1 teenager arrested in connection to Little Havana shooting that left woman dead, Miami Police say

Four young men and a teenage boy were arrested in connection with a shooting that left a woman dead in Little Havana in late December, Miami Police said.

In a Saturday press release, Miami Police said the five suspects were arrested after a thorough investigation into the shooting of 39-year-old Desiree Gonzalez, as well as a separate shooting that happened on Jan. 22 that involved some of the suspects.

According to the arrest affidavits obtained by CBS News Miami, Jeferzon Mendoza,  Abraham Estrada Solano, Cristian Reyes, Mauricio Jose Baquedano and a fifth suspect were all taken into custody this week on multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, accessory after the fact, tampering with physical evidence, possessing a firearm with a domestic violence injuction, and possession of a firearm as a minor.

Miami Police did not identify the fifth suspect because he was under 18, while the other four were between the ages of 18 and 19 years old.

A happy soul who was caught in the crossfire

Around 11:55 p.m. on Dec. 27, Miami Police responded to reports of a woman shot in front of a mini market at 1810 SW 3rd. Ct. in Little Havana. Upon arrival, officers found the woman, later identified as Gonzalez, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

Miami Fire Rescue took her to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she died, police said.

CBS News Miami had a crew at the scene of the shooting, where officers were seen moving throughout the community and speaking with neighbors as part of their investigation the following day.

According to Gonzalez's friends, she was experiencing homelessness but spent a lot of time in the area. They told CBS News Miami that they were hurt by the loss, saying that they spoke with her just hours before the shooting and remember her as a happy woman who loved talking to anyone who walked by.

Investigators said that Gonzalez was not the intended target of the shooting.

According to police, surveillance video depicted four suspects on motorized bikes, with one operator and passenger each, exchanging words with two unknown men outside the store before opening fire.

During the shooting, Gonzalez was struck when she walked outside the mini market and several nearby vehicles were damaged by gunfire. The suspects then fled the area following the shooting.

Through extensive investigative efforts, detectives were able to identify the suspects connected to Gonzalez's death.

The suspects were connected to another shooting nearly a month later

On Jan. 22, just before 3:15 p.m., officers responded to reports of shots fired near the intersection of Northwest 2nd Avenue and 75th Street in the Little River neighborhood of Miami.

According to police, witnesses reported seeing "several teenage males" fighting before hearing gunshots. Real Time Crime Center video showed a red Hyundai Elantra arriving at the scene with "multiple masked individuals" exiting the car, some armed with handguns.

A physical altercation happened, followed by gunfire toward another group of men, police said. The suspects then fled the area in the Elantra.

Detectives were later able to locate the car and conducted a traffic stop, where a juvenile suspect was detained. Investigators then determined that the incident stemmed from an ongoing feud with individuals in the area, Miami Police said.