NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE – Police said there hasn’t been a single tip since 8 people were shot at a park in Northwest Miami-Dade early Sunday evening. But the 2 shooters are still out there.
Pastor Keith Butler said his son was victimized by “two young terrorists.”
On Thursday, Butler was speaking from the basketball court where, only a few days earlier, a mass shooting took place.
His son, 23-year-old Keith Butler Jr., was sitting on the bleachers watching friends play basketball at Little River Park around 7 p.m.
On Thursday, Butler made a plea to the Little River Neighborhood.
“I’m asking our community to start speaking up. Demand justice and demand safety in our community.”
The shooting sent 8 people to the hospital including Butler’s son. The victims ranged in age from 16- to 27-years old.
“All of the sudden, he heard gunshots and he took off running in different directions. He didn’t know who else got wounded or hurt until he got to hospital trauma with everybody else.”
Butler runs a church in South Florida. His wife, Chiquita Butler, is a major with the city of Miami Police department.
“Two individuals approached the basketball court area where we are standing today and without provocation, drew firearms and started blasting into a crowd,” Detective Angel Rodriguez of the Miami-Dade Police said Thursday. “This is a crime that is totally senseless, it’s barbaric, and it is not who we are as a community.”
The victims had serious injuries, but fortunately they all survived. All but one person has been released from the hospital.
Police need help finding the shooters and Butler is asking everyone to chip in. Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers is offering a $15,000 reward.
“I’m asking our County mayor to add to this reward so we can get these 2 terrorists, who did not have any type of thought of human life, who shot over a hundred casings out on the streets at at least 12 to 15 people. They have to get off the street immediately,” Butler said. “The street hood news knows what’s going on. If you know something, say something.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-8477.