Two minors are among four teenage suspects who have been arrested in connection with the shooting of a 16-year-old in Homestead during an online sales meetup. NBC6’s Ryan Nelson reports
Two minors are among four teenage suspects who have been arrested in connection with the shooting of a 16-year-old in Homestead during an online sales meetup, authorities said.
Jairo Bonilla, 18; Aureliano Gomez, 18; and two teens aged 16 and 17, have been arrested in the shooting, according to an arrest report released Thursday.
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According to the report, a friend of the 16-year-old victim had posted a minibike for sale on OfferUp, and agreed to sell it to Gomez in exchange for another motorized bicycle and $200.
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They arranged to meet in the 900 block of Northwest 1st Avenue Tuesday night.
But when the victim and other friends with him met with Gomez, a sedan arrived and four males wearing all black got out and started to bang on the vehicle the victim was in, the report said.
One suspect used his elbow to shatter a window, and the victims tried to flee but reversed into the suspects' vehicle, the report said.
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That's when one of the suspects opened fire, hitting the 16-year-old victim in the leg and abdomen, the report said.
The teen victim was airlifted to Jackson South in stable condition.
"He caused major, major, major damage to his organs. They have only been able to operate on the first part of the surgery," said America Valdespino, the mother of non-injured victims. "Today he’s open and they are open they can go back in to start working on the second part of his organs because the bullet went through the side abdomen but it damaged everything inside of this kid.”
Police tracked down Gomez, who said his minibike had been stolen and he found it on OfferUp, the report said.
Gomez said he contacted the seller and brought his friends for "backup," the report said.
Bonilla and Gomez were booked into jail and face charges including attempted murder, attempted armed robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm. It's unknown what charges the younger teens face.
