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Miami Gardens Starts New Unsolved Homicide Program

Miami Gardens Police has seen more than 30 murders in the last two years and many of those cases remain unsolved. That’s why the department is undertaking a new unsolved homicide initiative where officers ask the public for new clues that might help crack the case.

Wednesday night, Miami Gardens Police Chief Stephen Johnson revisited a January crime scene where Zamari Pierre Louis, 16, was gunned shot and killed outside of his Miami Gardens home after heading to the store for a popsicle.

“My son would have been graduating school this year,” said Louis’ mother, Sherita Smalls, who was with Chief Johnson. “I won’t see that. I won’t see him go to the prom. I won’t see none of that.”

It’s been more than six months since Smalls’ son was killed, but Miami Gardens Police aren’t any closer to finding the shooter. Johnson described the teenagers as not one to get into trouble and his death was a case of mistaken identity.

“He ran, they had a gun and shot him as he was running home,” Chief Johnson said.

Johnson hopes the unsolved homicide initiative will help bring some semblance of closure to the families of the victims. Johnson said he’s spoken with more than a dozen of the families of the 23 people who were murdered in Miami Gardens last year.

“And to speak with those mothers, they want more,” Johnson said. “They want to see a lot more coming from police.”

Smalls described herself as hopeful the police will get the break they need, “I believe in the man upstairs to where I already know, you know, when you got somebody on your side like God, and you know God, and you know what he can do and what he’s able to do, oh I’m hopeful.”

Chief Johnson said the department will continue to put together the initiative every month. As for Zamari’s case, the reward for information in the case is $3,000. If you have any information about the crime, call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).

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