MIAMI – A string of shootings across South Florida over the Christmas holiday week left at least 14 gunshot victims, including four in Homestead , three in Miramar and five in Fort Lauderdale . At least four people died from their injuries.
Early Thursday, a 14-year-old was shot during a teen gathering at a club in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Police said the teen is expected to survive. Two other teenagers were also injured in a separate shooting Thursday afternoon in Fort Lauderdale. Late Thursday night, a man was located in Northwest Miami-Dade suffering from at least one gunshot wound to one of his legs.
Early Friday morning, another man was shot and killed during a dispute at a Mobil gas station in Cutler Bay .
“That’s shocking. That’s not even normal for a non-Christmas Day,” said Michele Van Tilborg, a local resident.
Kathleen Cannon, president and CEO of United Way of Broward County , said her organization’s “Choose Peace, Stop Violence” program focuses on early violence prevention through school-based initiatives.