MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – It was supposed to be a day of reflection about Martin Luther King's use of nonviolent disobedience, but instead Miami-Dade police officers found themselves carrying the wounded victims of a shooting.
When .45 caliber bullets started flying about 4 p.m., Jan. 16 at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 6000 NW 32nd Ct., Miami-Dade police officer Yamil De La Nuez grabbed his gun and rushed to protect a woman from Miami Fire Rescue, who was kneeling behind a small truck.
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Police officers didn't know then that members of two gangs -- The 12th Court Cowboys and the 13th Avenue Gang -- were shooting at each other. Hundreds, who were there for a parade and street party, tried to avoid getting shot.
"Take cover! Watch out! Get behind me. Get behind me," De La Nuez, 22, told the Miami Fire Rescue employee. "Yeah, just stay down."
The gunmen left eight -- ages 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20 and 30 -- injured in the shooting. Police body cam video, released to Local 10 News on Friday, shows police officers surrounding the 20-year-old nursing student after he was shot.
The victim said he couldn't walk, so rather than wait for Miami Fire Rescue to take care of him, the police officers picked him up and carried him out. When the boy shouted in pain, a police officer tried to comfort him.
"You are good," he said. "You are good."
Detectives later learned Gerrell Brownlee, 18, a member of the 12th Court Cowboys, and Robert Britt, 17, turned a fist fight into a shooting. Britt was shooting as he ran to Northwest 32nd Court. Brownlee started shooting and running to Northwest 32nd Avenue.
Police arrested the two teenagers. Brownlee was charged with attempted second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and carrying a concealed firearm.
When Brownlee was 17 he was charged with three counts of attempted premeditated murder, after he was accused of shooting three people. Prosecutors later dropped the case.
Britt was charged with attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a minor.
