Posted on Thu, Jul. 12, 2012

Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers boosted the reward to $5,000 for information leading to the capture of the man who shot and killed Evan Page, a 17-year-old Carol High senior who was ambushed at a fast-food restaurant in Miami Gardens seven years ago.

Page, who dreamed of becoming a police officer, was a father figure to his then-14-year-old brother, Ronald Page. On Thursday, Ronald Page, now 20, graduated from the City of Miami Police Academy, inspired by his brother’s dream of going into law enforcement.

Richard Masten, Crime Stoppers’ director, said he was so moved by the story, which appeared in Thursday’s Miami Herald, that he decided to up the reward, from $1,000 to $5,000. He was able to increase the reward using money from the North Dade victims’ compensation fund.

“It was really the story, and we wanted to strike while the iron is hot,” Masten said.

On Nov. 29, 2005, Evan Page had stopped at a Checkers drive-in, 2645 NW 183rd St., Miami Gardens. At about 9:45 p.m., as Page and a friend were waiting at the drive-through, a man wearing a baseball cap shoved a gun in the driver’s side window and demanded that Page’s friend, who was behind the wheel, hand over all his money, telling him that if he didn’t move slow enough he would kill him, according to police.

The friend, whose name has been withheld by police because he is a witness, turned over his watch, a ring and his cellphone.

But when the thug walked over to the passenger side of the white, 4-door Mazda 6 and threatened Page, he got a surprise. Page pushed the door open, knocking down the gunman. Page, a former police explorer and member of his school’s ROTC, then jumped out and tried to subdue the suspect. Page was shot and died a short time later at the hospital.

“My brother worked very hard. He didn’t get a handout, and he wasn’t going to let some coward take something from him,” Ronald said.

Ronald Page had a tough few years after his brother’s death, but, inspired by his brother’s determination, he pulled himself together to graduate at the top of his class at Miami Central High in 2010. He was awarded a scholarship a year later from Do The Right Thing, an organization that rewards young people who overcome obstacles. Page used the $6,000 scholarship to enter the police academy.

He hopes that one day he will be able to help other families whose loved ones have been harmed or killed.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477). Callers may remain anonymous.

The robber is described as a thin, black male, about 140-150 pounds, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10. He was wearing a dark-colored baseball cap, a pullover sweater or sweat shirt with an insignia and blue jeans. He was in his late teens or early 20s at the time, but would now be approaching his mid to late 20s.