15-year-old twins wounded as North Miami home pelted with bullets

Six weeks ago, as Orel Joseph and his family slept, someone pumped seven bullets from a semi-automatic weapon into the home. No one was hurt.

Monday, the family wasn't so lucky. Just before 3 a.m., while everyone was sleeping, the sound of gunfire erupted again. This time, Joseph's 15-year-old granddaughters were hit by bullets and flying debris.

Widline, shot in the leg, was already home Monday afternoon. Miriam, who was struck in the arm and the back, was undergoing surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The family said she was shot six times. Police doubt that, but said it's likely her body was pockmarked with fragments from bullets and flying glass.

The small, off-white home at 915 NW 122nd St., with broken windows, a decayed roof and front door, and an old white Chevy with a flat tire in the driveway, had 14 bullet holes clearly visible on the wall just east of the home's front door.

Joseph, the patriarch of the family of 10, from a week-old infant to his wife, said he's considering moving. The police department, stifled as to who is being targeted or why, has a victim's advocate available to the Josephs should they decide to move.

Monday, Joseph looked skyward, when asked what his intentions are.

"It's with him," he said pointing up.

Monday's shooting was almost identical to one at the same home on July 16. That morning, someone drove by and fired at least seven bullets into the home. Police, who still don't have a suspect or a motive, released a grainy video of a black van that passed a surveillance camera down the street.

As for the Monday’s incident, police don't even know if the shooter was in a car or on foot, said North Miami police spokeswoman Natalie Buissereth.

Joseph and his wife live in the home with three children and five grandchildren. In broken English, he said he's lived in Miami for 25 years. Some family members spoke Monday, but were leery — for obvious reasons — about revealing their names.

A woman who described herself as a cousin of the family said she was inside and asleep when the shots rang out.

"We heard it. Everyone was asleep. Me and my sister were there at the wrong time with our kids," she said. Asked if the family was planning on moving, she said, "The first time nobody got hurt at all. But who knows, we're all children of God."

Buissereth said police believe it's likely the two incidents are related. She doesn't think the twins were the target this time.

"Hopefully the investigation will shed some light on what's going on," she said.

This story was originally published August 31, 2015 at 1:24 PM with the headline "15-year-old twins wounded as North Miami home pelted with bullets."