MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A man remains hospitalized after being shot at by his own father during a heated argument outside his home in Miami Gardens, according to police.
Officers responded to the 1800 block of Northwest 154th Street just before 6 p.m. Thursday, right across the street from Rainbow Park Elementary School.
Investigators say the father had come to visit his son when a disagreement between the two turned violent. At some point during the argument, the father allegedly pulled out a gun and fired several rounds toward the front door of the home.
The gunfire shattered the glass door, and flying debris struck both the son and his girlfriend, who was also inside the home at the time.
Neighbors in the area said they heard a rapid burst of gunfire, describing it as four or five shots in quick succession. One resident, Karen Mike, said she had just stepped outside with her daughter, who was leaving for school, when the shots rang out.
“When she opened up the door, we just hear, ‘pa pa pa pa pa,'” Mike said. She added that she stayed outside afterward just to make sure her daughter made it safely to her car.
According to Mike, she didn’t see anyone flee the immediate area on foot, but police units began arriving on the block shortly after the gunfire stopped.
Investigators say the father left the scene before officers arrived. Paramedics took the injured son to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.
Crime scene units remained on the block for several hours Thursday night, and by Friday, the front entrance of the home had been boarded up with cardboard where the glass door once stood.
As of Friday afternoon, Miami Gardens police said they have identified a person of interest in the case, though the investigation remains active and no arrest has been announced.
Anyone with information about the shooting or the whereabouts of the gunman is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may qualify for a reward of up to $5,000.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.
