1 dead, 4 wounded during shooting at block party in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale detectives investigate fatal shooting

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ā€“ Fort Lauderdale Police Department detectives were investigating an early Saturday morning shooting that left a 22-year-old man dead and four others wounded.Ā 

Witnesses told police officers that a large crowd was having fun during a block party in the area of Northwest 23rd Avenue and Northwest 16th Street when the bullets started flying. Ā 

"I heard the gunshots, but I thought they were shooting firecrackers," said Minnie Bell, who lives in the neighborhood.Ā 

Fort Lauderdale police officers identified the man killed as Jerrod Bel Air. Ā LakeishaĀ M. Bell who was mourning the loss of her nephew believes he was not the target of the shooting.

"Now my sister Belinda Bell has to bury her angel," Bell wrote on Facebook.Ā 

Police officers identified the three adults wounded as Tony Harden, 27,Ā Tevin Dean, 22, and Christopher Smith, 24. They did not identify a 16-year-old male who was also wounded.Ā 

Detective Tracy FigoneĀ said the four wounded were at Broward Health Medical Center.Ā 

Ganise Demosthene, who also lives in the neighborhood, had a message for the shooters.Ā 

"People have to care about each other. They have to care about each other more," Demosthene said. "Stop shooting and put the guns down."

Figone said detectives needed help from the community to identify the killer. They were asking anyone with information to call Detectives Jim Jaggers and Orlando Almanzar at 954-828-5534.

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Local 10 News Melissa Alvarez, Ashley Orozco and Madeleine Wright contributed to this report.


About the Authors:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.