Two men arrested in connection with a Liberty City shooting that killed two teens were released from jail Tuesday after police say video supported an alibi for the suspects.
Yaairnes Bryant and Anthony Clinch were met by family members following their release from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
"I feel like I was innocent from the jump, that’s what it was," Bryant told reporters.
Bryant, 21, and Clinch, 19, were arrested Saturday on first-degree murder and attempted murder charges in connection with the April 8 shooting that killed 17-year-old Kimson Green and 18-year-old Rickey Dixon. Two other teens were also injured in the shooting.
On Monday, Miami Police said investigators reviewed a video that appears to support an alibi for one of the suspects and said both would no longer face charges.
"While the Miami Police Department is committed to the pursuit of justice, it is equally committed to the protection of the innocent," Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina said in a statement. "We would like to assure the public that we will continue to maintain the highest possible ethical standards as we strive to keep our community safe."
Green was a student at Northwestern Senior High School and was a month away from being nominated into the National Honor Society. Dixon had previously attended the school.
"If we made a mistake, we made a mistake. We're not going to hide from it or run from it. It is what it is, and we're going to do what's proper," Colina added. "We want to make sure that we get it right. We don't want a scenario where someone who is innocent of a crime is sitting in jail."
Colina said police would be doubling their efforts to solve the shooting and make arrests. The shooting led to student walkouts at Northwestern to protest gun violence.
