Three arrested in shooting of teens in South Miami-Dade, including one suspect’s mom
Three people have been charged in connection with a South Miami-Dade shooting a month ago that left four teens injured — including the mother of one suspect who police say was videotaped changing the license plate of a vehicle used in the incident.
According to police, Huguette Acosta, 46, was seen at the Suniland Auto Tag Agency three days after the shooting, changing the license plate on a 2022 Nissan Sentra used during the crime, to a personalized Florida Panther’s tag.
“She tampered with physical evidence,” said Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta.
Police said Acosta said she was aware of her son’s involvement in the shooting and that she changed the license tag to try and protect him. Police continue to look for another suspect.
“A fourth suspect is still at-large,” said Miami-Dade Police spokesman Argemis Colome. “That’s who they believe may be the shooter.”
The three people arrested Tuesday remained jailed Wednesday and it was not immediately clear if they had defense attorneys. None of the three have been charged with attempted murder.
Huguette Acosta was charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with physical evidence. Her son, Ariel Armando Acosta, 20, who told police he drove the Nissan, was charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence. And Quintavious Bryson, 20, is facing a single count of accessory after the fact.
Ariel Acosta and Bryson, police say, both admitted they were in the car during the shooting, police said, but claimed another man fired the semi-automatic rifle that struck the teens. The four shooting victims, all between the ages of 13 and 15, survived.
According to police and witnesses, it was just after 5 p.m. on July 29 when the Nissan driven by Ariel Acosta pulled up in front of Cutler Manor apartments at 10875 SW 216th St. and someone inside the vehicle opened fire. A 15-year-old boy who had walked just outside the property appeared to the target. He was struck in the buttocks.
The three others who were shot were inside the property and police believe they were inadvertent victims. The most seriously injured was a 15-year-old boy who was shot in the chest.
The shooting caused an uproar in a community that has seen more than its share of violence over the years. Activist Romania Dukes, whose son was shot and killed in the same complex eight years ago and has since founded Mothers Fighting for Justice, set up a town hall meeting the next week. Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers upped its reward to $15,000.
According to the recent arrest reports, video surveillance from Cutler Manor showed the car used in the shooting was a white four-door Nissan with black rims. Police say detectives spotted the car two days later near another shooting at Southwest 184th Street and 107th Avenue. There were no details or explanation of that incident in the arrest reports.
On Aug. 5, police obtained a search warrant for the Nissan and said ballistic tests showed the casings matched those left behind during the July 29 shooting at Cutler Manor.
This story was originally published August 31, 2022 at 12:11 PM.
