On May 23, 2023, a tragic incident occurred outside Oak Grove Park in the 600 block of Northeast 159th Street in Miami-Dade, Florida. Jeretha Lawson, a 33-year-old mother, was shot and killed while driving her SUV, which contained her six children aged between 7 and 17.
The incident began as an argument between Lawson and another group inside a car. During the dispute, someone from the other vehicle pulled out a gun and shot Lawson, causing her to lose control of her SUV.
The vehicle crashed into two other cars, a white sedan and a silver sedan, in addition to her black SUV.
Lawson died at the scene from the gunshot wound. Fortunately, her children were not injured by the gunfire or the subsequent crash. Witnesses described the harrowing scene, with one witness, Eustace Norris, recounting the sound of the crash and the children's screams as they realized their mother had been shot.
The shooting led to a significant response from law enforcement, including multiple officers from Miami-Dade Police and Miami-Dade County Public Schools Police, as well as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Nearby Oak Grove Elementary School was temporarily placed on lockdown following the incident.
As of the report, the shooter or shooters had fled the scene, and no arrests had been made. The police were still investigating and seeking information about the number of individuals involved and their mode of escape. The public was urged to contact Crime Stoppers with any information related to the incident.
The incident has left a profound impact on the community, with authorities expressing deep concern for the well-being of Lawson's children, who witnessed the traumatic event.
