MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — The first day of school began with a parent being arrested Thursday morning at an elementary school in Miami-Dade County, police confirmed.
According to an arrest report from Miami-Dade Schools Police, Erika Cruz, 39, was dropping off her child at Arcola Lake Elementary, located at 1037 NW 81st St. in West Little River, when she exchanged words with a mother who was walking her disabled son to school.
Police said the victim told officers that a black vehicle approached her and her son and the driver started honking.
The driver, identified as Cruz, then shouted “hurry the f*** up!” from her vehicle, police said.
According to the report, Cruz and the victim exchanged words before Cruz “bumped” the victim’s left side of the body with her car.
She then got out of the vehicle, opened her brown purse and told the victim, “Say one more word and I am going to shoot you in the face,” the report stated.
According to the report, Cruz then closed her purse, got in her vehicle and went inside the school.
The victim told police she was in fear for her and her son’s lives and “truly felt she would die today.”
Police said Cruz was detained a short time later and a loaded gun was found inside of her purse.
Cruz confirmed that the gun belonged to her but claimed she was unaware that it was in her bag, police said.
The gun was confiscated by police as evidence.
Cruz was arrested on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a firearm and exhibiting a firearm on school property.
As of Friday afternoon, Cruz remained at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $2,750 bond.
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