'They're Cowards, They're Murderers, And Killers': Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez On Hunt For Gunmen In Sunday's Mass Shooting
MIAMI (CBS Miami) - The search continues for three people responsible for a mass shooting early Sunday morning outside the outside El Mula Banquet Hall in northwest Miami-Dade left two dead and over 20 injured.
New videos released Tuesday shows the moment those gunmen opened fire. The video begins just as a crowd of people standing at the door was starting to go in for rapper Spitta's album release party. Suddenly gunfire erupts and people run for cover. One man even threw himself on top of a woman who fell trying to get away. From another angle, the gunmen can be seen approaching the crowd and begin to fire.
On Monday, police got a break in the case when an SUV used by the trio was pulled from the Biscayne Canal just off NW 154th Street and NW 2nd Avenue, approximately nine miles from where the shooting took place.
"Thanks to the information received by the community we were able to locate the vehicle. We are in the process of doing a forensic analysis of the vehicle," said Miami-Dade police Director Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III.
Miami-Dade police are investigating whether the SUV, which was reported stolen on May 15th, was involved earlier in two to three drive-by shootings, a source told CBS4.
Appearing on CNN, Ramirez said surveillance video shows the gunmen pulling up near the venue in a Nissan Pathfinder, then getting out with guns drawn.
"This was targeted at someone who was at that location. You saw in the video how they showed up commando style, within 20 seconds they ruined families and lives and it's unacceptable," he said.
WATCH: Surveillance Video Of El Mula Banquet Hall Shooting Suspects
The father of one of the victims said his daughter was shot three times in the back and once in the leg. He said he feared she wouldn't make it but thankfully she survived.
"She said her body was on fire. She was thinking this was where it was going to end, this is how it's going to end," said Rodney Thomas.
Police are trying to turn up the heat on the killers. A reward for information leading to their arrest is up to $130-thousand and the tips keep coming in.
"At this time we have various people being pointed at. Our detectives are validating those tips as they come in so that we can build a strong case, so the day we take these individuals into custody we're able to have a prosecution process to make sure they stay in jail for a long time," said Ramirez.
On Monday, at the news conference, Miami-Dade police Major Jorge Aguiar, head of the department's homicide unit, said the violence was senseless and despicable. He said their investigators believe the mass shooting was likely "gang" related.
"We have intelligence information that this resulted from an ongoing rivalry between two different groups, we know that the intended target was most likely in front of the establishment when the shooting took place," said Aguiar.
"What I can tell you about these groups, they're cowards. They're murderers and killers and they don't care about anyone and they don't care about life. If you see in my tone I'm angry, I'm angry hearing that father yesterday, as a dad myself, it's heartbreaking, it has to stop," said Ramirez.
Ramirez was referring to a gut-wrenching moment on Monday when the father of murder victim Clayton Dillard IIII crashed the news conference, his grief on heartbreaking display.
"You all killed my kid. You must burn. You must burn. You hear me?" Clayton Dillard yelled out before he was escorted away.
Over the past few days, there have been three other shootings in addition to the one in northwest Miami-Dade including Friday's shooting in Wynwood in which one person was killed and six others injured and Monday night on South Beach where two people were shot.
"It's unprecedented for Dade county to have four mass shootings in a five-day period," said retired Miami-Dade police Major Ignacio Alvarez.
When he was with the department, Alvarez oversaw the Northwest Division. He said this type of violence has not been common here, leading to concerns for retaliation.
"We don't see this in the Miami area, ever in my 30 years as a cop, anyone just shooting into a large crowd and hitting so many people," he said.
Miami-Dade Mayor Danielle Levine Cava is urging people to come forward if they have information that will help the police.
"We must get these killers off the streets! We can only do it with your help," she said.
Anyone with information on the shootings is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477) or go to hcrimestoppersmiami.com.
