‘My soulmate’: A year after man was killed in drive-thru line, his family seeks justice
A year after a man shot and killed a 57-year-old grandfather outside a fast-food restaurant in Opa-locka, his family and Miami-Dade detectives on Tuesday asked potential witnesses to come forward.
Gregory Denard Shaw, 57, was shot as he was waiting in his car in the drive-through lane of a Burger King, 13705 NW 27 Ave., before he drove away, crashing into a wall nearby, police said.
Detectives haven’t made an arrest — only sharing a photo from blurry security footage of a man police say is the unidentified shooter inside Burger King. But Shaw’s family members are hopeful that detectives will find his killer with the public’s help.
Shaw was a loving husband, a father to three and a grandfather to eight, his family told reporters during a press conference at Miami-Dade Police Department’s headquarters in Doral.
Donna Shaw, his widow, recalled he would open their front gate as she left for work every morning, and always made sure she arrived safely. He also encouraged her to go back to school after 42 years.
“He was my biggest cheerleader,” she said between tears.
Around 5:46 p.m Nov. 7, 2022, the Miami Gardens man was in the Burger King drive-through lane when another man shot multiple times into his vehicle, said Detective Oscar Andino. Shaw immediately drove away and headed south on Northwest 27th Avenue until he crashed about a block away, Andino said. Paramedics said Shaw died at the scene..
“He was just going to get food and he was killed,” Donna Shaw said.
Police didn’t say what led to the shooting, which wasn’t captured in surveillance footage. Andino told reporters both men had a “short interaction,” and that robbery doesn’t appear to be a motive behind the killing.
At the news conference, Shaw’s family members were still mourning his death. Sharraine Fulton, who called Shaw a “gentle giant,” had something to say to the man who killed her cousin.
“For you to take that away from us and feel like it’s nothing; it meant a lot to us,” Fulton said. “You left a big hole in our hearts.”
Donna Shaw encouraged people to come forward if they have information about the shooting. She said the family needs to know who killed him and why to have some sort of closure.
“He was my soulmate,” she said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to call Detective Andino at 305-471-2400. To remain anonymous, submit a tip to Crime Stoppers Miami-Dade & The Florida Keys by calling 305-471-8477 or 1-866-471-8477, or visiting crimestoppers305.com. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for anonymous tips leading to the arrest of Shaw’s killer.
This story was originally published November 7, 2023 at 12:45 PM.
