Authorities are offering $30,000 to help find the suspects in the senseless shooting of a 12-year-old Miami Gardens girl.
Tequila Forshee was killed on Aug. 14 as she sat inside her grandmother's home at 42nd Avenue and 201st Street. Her grandmother, Tawanda Frazier-Brown, was also injured by the gunfire.
On Tuesday, Miami Gardens officials and family members held a news conference to announce the reward and ask the public for help.
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"A loss of life is unacceptable on any level, when the murder involves a child it's much more unspeakable and outrageous," Mayor Oliver Gilbert said.
Gilbert said an anonymous donor gave $25,000 to add to the $5,000 Crime Stoppers reward. The new reward is part of a city resolution passed Monday creating a crime information reward fund.
"A lot of times people don't want to get involved until it's you," Gilbert said. "What we're asking today is that, it's us right now."
Deputy Chief of Police Paul Miller said detectives are following up on several leads and are looking for at least four suspects who are between 15 and 18 years old. The four suspects were riding two bicycles and may have had a fifth suspect running with them.
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Miller said the group was seen going east on 201st Street and south on 42nd Avenue towards 199th Street after the shooting, and hopes someone saw them.
"We have a hurting family, we have a hurting community that needs your help," Miller said.
Family members said five people were inside the home when the shooting happened.
"The tragedy has penetrated our hearts more than you know," aunt Chanae Forshee said. "Our appeal is to the community that anyone who knows anything about the individuals who are responsible for this horrific crime to please come forward, we need your help."
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
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