Jul 7, 2009 11:11 pm US/Eastern
Woman Dies In Mass Miami Shooting, Police Need Tip
Police Fear The Public Is Afraid To Call In With Tips
Two Or Three Men May Have Fired Into The Crowd
One Woman Was Hit By A Car As She Ran For Cover
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Twelve people were shot when a gunman opened fire at a Miami party.
CBS
The shooting of 12 people in Overtown early Monday morning has now claimed the life of one of those who was wounded. Michelle Coleman, who was shot in the chest, kidney and liver, lost her struggle to survive Tuesday morning.
Her mother told
CBS4 News her daughter had wanted to become a nurse because she wanted to help other people.
In a
CBS4 Exclusive, Coleman's mother, Andresa Prater, said, "I place her in God's hands. She was given to me. I give her back to him. She was my miracle baby. I had her for 21 ½ years. She was a loving child. She was my angel. She did everything I told her to."
"I feel the pain that every parent who has lost a child has felt. I reach out to all those parents and ask for prayers for me and my family," said Prater.
Prater and her daughter Dominique showed
CBS4 large photograph of her daughter, with a smile on her face, a photo from her graduation from Miami Central High School.
When we told Prater that Miami-Dade Crimestoppers had received only three tips from the public about this shooting, Prater pleaded for those with information to come forward. "I know somebody knows someone with information about my daughter being shot," said Prater. Somebody knows something. She was so precious to me and I hope justice will be done."
Prater said her daughter had just completed all of the paperwork required to get financial aid from Florida A&M and was planning to go back to school next month.
"That's why she wanted to go to college for that. She loved children. And she loved helping people," Prater said. " Now, my daughter can never accomplish her dreams."
Coleman's sister, Dominique Prater, says Coleman was "such a nice, happy person. People are crazy. This should have never happened. We just want whoever did this to come forward. My sister did nothing. I just want people to talk, please talk."
Miami Police say the victims were shot by three men dressed in black. It happened at 12:45 a.m. at a birthday party in Overtown, several hours after police were called to the party to ask some party goers to turn down some loud music.
Police say the gunmen were targeting one person in particular. He was not shot. He was taken into custody for questioning.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Booker T. Washington football player, Anthony Smith, remained in critical condition at Jackson memorial Hospital. A group of women including his cousin, Mahogany Maitland, gathered outside Jackson Memorial Hospital and exchanged hugs.
"We are all in mourning," said Maitland, "and our heart goes out to the family of Michelle Coleman. Anthony is fighting. But our hearts are heavy. Someone needs to step up and call the police with information."
Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones visited the families of Smith and Coleman at Jackson Memorial Hospital and said it was "very upsetting" to see how the senseless shooting had impacted so many people. She said, "This violence must stop and steps must be taken to help our youngsters find more constructive things they can do."
Police said they had no new leads in the shooting. More than 200 people were at the Overtown block party, that was put together for Lawrence Smith's 20th birthday.
Police say they found shells from an AK-47 assault rifle and two 9 millimeter pistols. Miami Police Chief John Timoney and Mayor Manny Diaz renewed their calls for a federal ban on assault rifles.
Victims Preanna Wilcox, 18; Brandon Ware, 17; Trenisha Hodge, 18; and Diamond Mobley, 19, were listed in good condition Tuesday.
Police did not have the conditions of four others: Anquan Broussard, 16; William Hayward, 28; Tyrell Williams, 19; and Rickayla Limonda, 18.
Shakevia Bejar, 21, was treated and released.
The area where the shooting occurred was recently listed by NeighborhoodScout.com as the third most dangerous neighborhood in they country based on FBI crime statistics.
Click here to read the story.
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
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