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Miami Shooting Kills Mother And Two Children

By Becky Barton
Published on: 12:35 PST, Jul 31, 2016

A shooting early Sunday morning in Miami resulted in the deaths of a mother and two of her children.

Witnesses called the police just before 4 a.m. after hearing shots fired at the family’s home near 203rd Terrace. When officers arrived, they found Takeeya Fulton and her 19-year-old daughter, Kiera, dead. Fulton’s 17-year-old son, C.J., was clinging to life, and her younger son was severely wounded. C.J. died shortly after arriving at the hospital, and the 12-year-old is still in critical condition.

Fulton’s family and friends are reeling after this senseless tragedy. They believe the suspect is the father of three of the children because the couple engaged in a heated argument shortly before the shooting occurred.

Tarsenda Bennett, Fulton’s cousin, spoke to 7News about the Miami shooting.

“I’m picking up pieces of what’s going on…The only thing I know is that he shot my cousin Takeeya Fulton and I have another cousin named Kiera and she’s dead.”

Gus Lanier, Fulton’s brother and uncle to the fallen children, is outraged at the nature of the crime.

“This is a cowardly act he pursued over kids. [He shot] my sister and my nephews.”

Officials are investigating the shooting. They currently have no formal suspects and declined to release any information they have garnered so far. However, they do have a solid lead.

According to Miami Herald, Robin Pinkard spoke about the shooting investigation on behalf of the local police force.

“Right now, our investigators are speaking with witnesses that were on scene and also responding to the hospital … to confirm any subject information that we might have…We’re investigating it to the fullest…It’s really early in the investigation.”

Neighbor Edward E. Gonzalez said that he and some friends heard the shots, but didn’t find it unusual for that neighborhood.

“Well we were hanging out drinking last night and we heard gun shots like normal from those apartments and then we see someone running and I don’t know what happened until this morning and we see something going on.”

According to Gonzalez, no crime this severe ever occurred as long as he’s lived in the area, until Sunday morning. It baffled him that a fatal shooting happened so close to his own home.

“That never happens, an assassination a family get killed; no, that never happens in the 27 years I’ve been here.”

Family members received the bad news just after 4 a.m. Shareka Jeffries was devastated.

“I thought I was dreaming at first,” said Jeffries, who lives down the street. “I can’t believe this happened. [Kiera] had just graduated high school [and was interested] in joining the military. It’s hard to believe that she’s gone.”

Evette Woodard had a friendship with Fulton spanning two decades. She said she drove over immediately when she heard about the shooting.

“She was a good person, real quiet, good heart.”

Woodard admitted that Fulton and her boyfriend fought, but she says it seemed like normal relationship tiffs to her.

“I was shocked, so shocked. Never in a million years would I have thought it would end this way.”

Fulton’s grieving relatives beg Miami residents to come forward if anyone has information involving the shooting. They seek closure, and justice for the poor children whose lives ended so soon.

“Give us information, man…The brightest of justice, man, for the kids.”

Bennett pleads for her devastated relatives, as well.

“We’re just picking up pieces of the puzzle. Anybody got any information, please, I ask you, please come in. That’s a lot of bodies, please.”

Police also ask for the public’s cooperation to bring the shooting investigation to a close. They welcome any serious tips and information, and officials ask that the public direct those calls to the Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers unit at 305-471-TIPS.

[Photo by Angel Valentin/Getty Images]

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