MIAMI (CBSMiami) – It was a bloody start to 2021 in South Florida with about three dozen people shot in just 13 days in Miami-Dade and Broward. In many cases, several victims were caught in a hail of gunfire.
People in the Cordoba Court apartments in Opa-locka say they know of violence.
“This is the pit of the devil here,” Sholanda Rivers told the Tenant Association.
Neighbors describe how they hear gunshots around them. Two people have been shot dead since Friday.
“There has been an increase in violence and we mostly know what’s going on, it’s poverty. It’s economy, ”said Daniella Pierre, president of the Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP. “They could not address the economic well-being of the black community.”
They ask for change and solutions.
“Violence is a choice we do not approve of. We condemn it. We ask everyone in the community to take a stand against violence, ”Pierre said.
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Daniella Levine Cava, mayor of Miami-Dade, said there are jobs and educational opportunities to start looking for solutions.
“Surely we are building. There are many, many opportunities for well-paying jobs without a college degree. “Student programs are available for people who like to do things with their hands,” said Mayor Levine Cava.
Rev. Brian Denny said employment was a major issue he was tackling.
“If you stop doing what you do,” said Rev. Denny, “I will help you get a job that pays at least $ 40,000 a year.”
Lt. Nikeya Jenkins is at the Opa-Locka police station.
“We are fed up,” she said.
She appeals to the community to help fight crime by invoking tips and information.
“Whatever we have to do to take back control of our community, from our city, that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Lieutenant Jenkins said. “I’m telling you, you can hear it from me, it’s going to end!”
Police again say the public plays a major role in stopping the bloodshed by providing information. You can do this anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers. In Miami-Dade, the number is (305) 471-TIPS and (954) 493-TIPS in Broward.