A man is behind bars after he allegedly shot and killed a father who was trying to intervene in a fight involving his daughter and other girls in Florida City. NBC6’s Laura Rodriguez reports
A man is behind bars after he allegedly shot and killed a father who was trying to intervene in a fight involving his daughter and other girls in Florida City.
Police said the suspect, 22-year-old Kentarian Cross, turned himself in Wednesday, the day after the shooting.
Meanwhile the victim, 47-year-old Johnny Lewis Stevenson Jr., is being remembered as a loving father to 14 children.
Stevenson’s sister told NBC6 that it’s hardly a relief that the shooter turned himself in, because that doesn’t bring her brother back. The victim’s cousin said he was a role model to him, and that he was an amazing dad to the children he leaves behind.
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Cellphone video captured the fight that police say led to the deadly gunfire.
It started on a school bus with two girls fighting, and ended in the 1400 block of Northwest 1st Court at around 5:30 p.m. The video shows a large crowd fighting, and police say Stevenson showed up to try to intervene and help his daughter who was involved.
That’s when a man pulled out a gun and shot him in the stomach.
Someone drove Stevenson to the hospital. Then he was transported to Jackson South Medical Center, where he died.
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Cross turned himself in to police the next day, and is now charged with second-degree murder with a weapon.
Police didn't say why Cross was at the scene, or why he fired at Stevenson, but in bond court Thursday his attorney said Cross' sister was involved in the fight.
The attorney said Cross was being choked by Stevenson at the time of the shooting, but the judge ordered him held without bond.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools said in a statement that they were aware of the incident that involved students from Homestead Senior High School and that those involved would be disciplined according to the Code of Student Conduct.
Meanwhile, the victim's family is left heartbroken.
"I just seen him like two days before all that happened, just came out here to sit down with him," his cousin, who did not want to be identified, said. "When it first happened, I cried all day."
Stevenson's cousin said he was well-known and loved, and he looked up to him as a role model.
"It's just really killing me. He was a cool person, great guy. All his kids love him. He took care of every single one of his kids," he said.
