Three Miami shootings leave 2 dead, 1 critically injured

Two people — including a 15-year-old — were killed and another man was injured during a violent slew of shootings in Miami.

“This is not the way you want to start off the new year,” Miami police spokeswoman Kenia Fallat said Sunday. “This has to stop.”

The deadly night — which included three separate shootings, two of which were in Model City and one in Overtown — began just before 8 p.m. Saturday at 1937 NW Second Ct. in Overtown. There, a man, who has not been identified, was shot several times.

He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in critical but stable condition, Fallat said.

Then, about 15 minutes later, shots flew across an empty field on Northwest Ninth Avenue and 69th Street in Model City.

When officers arrived, they found 15-year-old Alder Hill with several gunshot wounds. Police say the gunmen, believed to be two young men, took off.

Alder was taken to Ryder Trauma Center, where he died.

“He was only 15 years old,” Fallat said. “This is another young man who lost his life for no reason.”

Then at 10:15 p.m., while officers were still working the crime scene in the empty field, shots were heard nearby.

"Detectives didn't even get a chance to finish at one scene, before having another one," Fallat said.

The third shooting happened only blocks away in the 700 block of Northwest 65th Street. There, Jaquan Leonard, 21, was found with several gunshot wounds. He, too, was taken to Ryder Trauma, where he died.

Fallat said detectives do not believe the shootings are related but are “not ruling anything out.”

Through November, 30 teens and children were killed by gunfire in Miami-Dade County.

Fallat said the deadly night is just another reminder of how important it is for the community to get involved and work with officers.

“They are our eyes and ears,” she said. “We need everyone’s help. People should be able to go outside without fear.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).

This story was originally published January 10, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Three Miami shootings leave 2 dead, 1 critically injured."