The victim, who asked not to be identified, said it started as a day at the beach for her and her friend back in December.

“This is right before the incident, because we’re all smiles,” she said as she showed pictures to 7News.

The victim said she and her friend ran into the suspect.

“[He] told me he was a musician and asked to add himself on Instagram,” she said.

The victim said the man introduced himself as a performer and artist looking to reach a larger audience through social media.

“[I told him], ‘Sure, I’ll follow you. You’re a musician. Let me give you some support. Cool, I get it,'” she said.

The victim said she handed her cellphone to the man so he could set her up to follow him on Instagram.

“It all happened so fast,” she said.

“Fast” and, police said, fraudulent.

“It was less than an hour when I saw an email that said I had $1,200, through Venmo, [sent] to this stranger,” said the victim.

The man was gone and so was $1,200 from her Venmo account, and that’s when the victim realized she had been scammed.

“I knew immediately what had happened,” she said.

Now she wants her story out there as a warning to others.

“It was, like, this sense of panic,” she said.

This woman is not alone. Police said she’s one of several people who were scammed in Miami Beach by the same man, who’s allegedly worked with others.

The problem is so bad, police are making videos to make people aware, like a recent clip posted by Miami Beach Police.

“It’s essential that you remain vigilant, and be aware of any potential scams,” said a spokesperson for the police department in the video.

Thr video also recreates a potential scamming scenario to show how con artists pose as club promoters or entertainment types, promising club access, drink vouchers and other perks to unsuspecting victims.

“These individuals are accessing money transferring apps and sending themselves large amounts of money while in possession of your phone,” said the Miami Beach Police spokesperson.

The victim who spoke with 7News said the scammer who targeted her sent cash and a gift emoji to another Venmo account, as seen in screenshot she provided.

But police would catch up with the suspect, identified as James Plitsas, whom they re-arrested,

Police said he has been busted three more times since the December duping of the victim on the beach.

In a statement, a Miami Beach Police spokesperson wrote, “Through a meticulous operation and the strategic utilization of social media, MBPD investigators were able to successfully apprehend the defendant.”

As for the victim, she has a message for the public.

“Listen to your gut instinct, and never hand a stranger your phone,” she said.

Plitsas remains locked up. He faces numerous charges in connection to at least four open cases, including grand theft and fraud. .

The security footage shows the moment when, detectives said, 23-year-old Jason Dyer-Mitchell opened fire inside the business located near Northwest 17th Avenue and 54th Street, just after 12:30 a.m., Saturday.

Lorenzo, who works security at the store, spoke with 7News hours later.

“The guy came in, and he started arguing with the owner,” he said.

The video shows Dyer-Mitchell and one of the victims going back and forth for a few seconds. What the altercation was about is unclear.

As one of the gas station owners begins to kick Dyer-Mitchell out of his store, the suspect is seen pulling out and gun and discharging it about nine times, striking both owners and a bystander who was shopping at the store.

“[The gunman] shot [one of the owners] two times and then shot him in the back after he turned around, four more times, and then he shot the other guy three times,” said Lorenzo.

Detectives identified the victims as 51-year-old Shahbaz Hussain and 42-year-old Shamun Shaukat. The owners, affectionately nicknamed “Sunny” and “Moon,” were pronounced dead at the scene.

“He wasn’t just a boss; he was a friend,” sad Lorenzo.

Investigators said the injured bystander managed to crawl out of the store, as strangers rushed to his aid before paramedics arrived and hoisted him into an ambulance.

Dyer-Mitchell appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer on Monday.

“You were arrested for two counts of second-degree murder with prejudice and two counts of second-degree murder with a weapon,” said Glazer.

This is not the suspect’s first run-in with the law. He was arrested in Miami Beach in January 2022 for assaulting a tourist with a nail. He faced charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and other offenses, including several drug charges.

How Dyer-Mitchell got a hold of the gun used in the gas station shooting remains unclear.

Lorenzo shared his grief and remorse for not being there to protect the owners during the shooting.

“I was supposed to have been there to protect them, but I wasn’t there at the time, and that makes me feel bad,” he said.

The Chevron station remains closed. Monday evening, 7News cameras captured Miami Police officers at the scene.

Dyer-Mitchell is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade.

Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Bryan Jimenez Fallas stood before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer, Monday morning.

He faces charges of aggravated battery and attempted manslaughter.

According to Doral Police, the incident took place in the parking lot of The Shoppes at MICC, located at 7800 NW 25th St., just before 4 p.m., Saturday.

Police found a man with a gunshot wound. Paramedics airlifted the victim to Ryder Trauma Center in unknown condition.

Jimenez Fallas is being held on a $15,000 bond.

Crews on Monday said they’ve got a blaze near Southwest 137th Avenue and Eighth Street mostly contained.

7Skyforce captured light smoke billowing into the sky.

A second brush fire along Bird Road and 157th Avenue is roughly 50% contained.

No homes are threatened in either fire, officials said.

The fires erupted Sunday and scorched at least 150 acres, forcing some road closures. The roadways have since reopened.

What sparked the flames remains unclear.

According to Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, the incident happened Friday evening as the victims were walking north on Harding Avenue, between 90th and 91st streets.

“A car drove by with four individuals, and that car threw a cup of water and a soda can at them while they were yelling ‘free Palestine,'” Burkett said.

Police said the water cup struck one person in the right shoulder, and a second individual was splashed with water.

Burkett said the Surfside Police Department already has a lead on the vehicle that was involved.

“And I think they’ve tracked down the car, actually, so we’re making progress there,” he said. “We take it seriously, very seriously.”

When the suspects are caught, Burkett said, they will likely be charged with battery.

“You don’t throw things at people and not be held accountable for that,” he said. “That’s uncool, it’s not who we are. We want our residents to all feel safe.”

Burkett said witnesses and license plate readers helped officials track down the vehicle. He hopes his police department will make an arrest soon.

Officers responded to over 100 protesters who were in front of Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami, at around 1 p.m., Monday.

“Netanyahu, what do you say,” said protesters, waving signs with messages for support of Palestine.

City of Miami officers appeared in riot gear, on horseback, and on motorcycles to prevent the protesters from advancing. Police officers were joined by state troopers and armored vehicles.

7Skyforce flew over the area as protesters were being arrested and taken into a transport van.

Several protesters were also seen being dragged from the street by police after they tried to lie down and block traffic to PortMiami. After repeatedly trying to block traffic, some were arrested by the police.

According to Miami Police, seven people were arrested due to obstructing traffic and refusing to remain in the designated area. They were charged with Obstructing Traffic and Breach of the Peace/unlawful assembly.

A few demonstrators who spoke to 7News shared they did not have ties to Palestine or were Palestinian but still wanted to show support for the cause.

“We are here to let South Florida know that we stand with the Palestinian people and that they deserve aid, they deserve water, they deserve food, they deserve to eat their food with their families, they deserve to grow up with dreams,” said protester Valentina Jadue.

The protest is part of a coordinated effort across the country to block several economic hubs like airports and port terminals to demand a cease-fire in Gaza.

Monday marks Tax Day in America, and Monday’s protesters disagree that taxpayers’ dollars should be used to support the war in Israel.

“After October 7, they have given more tax dollars, what we’re saying is that money could better be used to address the housing crisis in the US, the public education issue, the lack of accessible food and affordable housing, and better transportation,” said protester Libra Sankara.

In addition, the protesters in attendance talk about solutions to end what they are calling a genocide toward the Palestinian people.

Towards the end of the protest, a few people came out on the corner of Biscayne and 2nd Street to show their support for Israel.

“We’re both living in the same land, we’re not going anywhere. And I will always fight for my right to live peacefully in my own land, I will fight for theirs as well,” said Jesse Fromer, Israel supporter. 

The flyover bridges connecting westbound traffic to U.S. 1 and Interstate 95 were set to be closed for the next two months to allow crews to work on concrete pavement on the bridge decks, according to FDOT.

The lane closures on Sunday caused traffic headaches for drivers who left Key Biscayne and tried to return to the mainland.

“I went out on [Key] Biscayne for about an hour and a half,” said Pierre De Agostini.

7News received emails from frustrated drivers at around 1:30 p.m.

Gary Nurineia said he was stuck for five hours after leaving work at The Golden Hog.

“I was in that heavy traffic until I got to my home at 1 a.m.,” he said.

Business owners on Key Biscayne said this traffic nightmare is not safe for their employees.

“Some arrived to their homes at 2 o’clock in the morning, and once we leave here, we feel very uncomfortable in these situations in case of an emergency,” said business owner Jorge Gonzalez.

FDOT told 7News that construction wasn’t supposed to start until 9 p.m.

A statement released by FDOT reads in part:

While the original maintenance of traffic plan was developed with all appropriate factors considered, it was overwhelmed with the volume of vehicles ingressing and egressing from Key Biscayne yesterday.

Florida Department of Transportation

According to FDOT, by Wednesday morning, the southbound lanes will fully reopen to allow time for the installation of guardrails. While this installation occurs, surface streets should be utilized.

Commuters said they are grateful to see the accommodation in order to avoid being stuck again for hours.

“Very relieved, I don’t have to come up with different accommodations,” said a school teacher who lives in the area.

The work, originally planned to last two months, is part of a rehabilitation project to the bridges, which are nearly 50 years old, and is imperative to the structural integrity of the bridges and the safety of the traveling public, FDOT said in a release.

FDOT officials said they will continue to work with local officials on revised traffic management plans and signalization coordination.

Members of the End the Corruption political committee on Friday dropped off 1,719 signatures supporting an effort to recall Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago to the city clerk’s office, the Miami Herald reported. They need 1,650 verified signatures or 5% of the city’s approximately 33,000 registered voters in the most recent municipal election to advance to the next stage, the city clerk’s office said.

A preliminary count of the signatures was conducted Friday night, and those signatures will now go to the county Elections Department for verification, the newspaper reported.

“How do I feel? Very relieved, very grateful,” End the Corruption chairwoman Maria Cruz said Friday afternoon at City Hall of the recall effort so far.

Cruz was joined by attorney David Winker, who is the registered agent for the political committee. He noted that Lago was reelected without opposition last year.

“And I think that this is residents kind of clapping back a little bit saying, like, no, we’re unhappy with the direction that the city is going,” Winker said. “I think that this is evidence of that.”

If the Elections Department verifies that the group gathered enough signatures, it will have another 60 days to collect more signatures — this time from 15% of the city’s registered voters, or about 4,950 people. If the group meets that threshold, the recall could go to a special election

In a statement released on Instagram late Friday, Lago said the recall effort “is being pursued by special interests who want to control the future of our city.”

“These pay-to-play interests are falsely portraying the recall as a resident-driven process, but the reality is far from that,” he added.

The city is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida and is located 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Downtown Miami.

City spokeswoman Martha Pantin said law enforcement is investigating the canvassing effort, though she did not provide more details. Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Lissette Valdes-Valle confirmed in an email that the office is “looking at it” with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Winker said he had not been notified of an investigation.

“No one affiliated with the recall has received any inquiry from law enforcement,” Winker said. He added: “I welcome any investigation because everything about the recall is being done in full compliance with the law.”

End the Corruption began collecting signatures in mid-March when it launched the recall effort accusing Lago of “misfeasance and malfeasance” in part because of his business ties with Miami-based real estate developer Rishi Kapoor, who’s accused of an alleged $93 million real estate investment fraud scheme.

On Sunday, more than 600 participants from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties showcased their skills and determination, all competing to advance to the State Games in Orlando next month.

The competition was fierce, with athletes demonstrating the results of what, for many, has been a lifetime of training.

“Special Olympics Florida serves children and adults so our athletes begin at age two with our young athlete program and then at age 8 they can begin competing and theres no cap on age for when they can compete,” said Linsey Smith, Chief Development and Marketing Officer. “So for many of our athletes, they train and compete in multiple sports every year and Special Olympics becomes their life.”

Also in attendance was WSVN’s Sheldon Fox as the host.

The organization offers year-round training and competition opportunities at no cost to the athletes or their caregivers, enriching lives and building community spirit.

The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. near the intersection of 204th Street and Northwest 55th Court.

Around 5:30 a.m. several fire trucks were seen picking up their equipment once the fire was extinguished.

Juniel Alcazapal said he didn’t know what happened, but as soon as he saw the fire, he started running.

He was inside sleeping when the fire broke out next door.

Residents have reported that the fire also impacted a neighboring house. Video footage showed damage to a blue house next to the house that caught fire.

“Somebody start to scream, ‘The fire, the fire,’ to get out and I saw the fire, and I tried to do what I did until the fire department came,” said Nelson, a neighbor.

Nelson owns the blue home next door and said the flames started in a shed in the middle of two homes, which caught the neighboring house on fire too.

It is unclear how many people occupied the house but officials said four people suffered minor burns—no one wanted to be transported to the hospital.

“They initiated a rapid fire tact, primary search, made sure everybody was out of the structure and quickly put the fire under control,” said MDFR Battalion Chief Armando Pesaturo.

Though the fire didn’t start on Nelson’s property, it certainly caused thousands of dollars in damages.

The American Red Cross was called to the scene and will assist the residents affected by the fire.

This group of people were the last to fly out of Israel before hundreds of drones and missiles launched toward its territory, early Sunday morning.

“It felt a little bit like getting the last chopper out of ‘Nam,” said traveler Julie Simonson.

Traveler Tony Raz said they departed in the nick of time.

“It was pretty scary when they said that they’d already released some of these mini-planes with bombs on them, and they were saying they were going to close the skies at 12:30 at night, 12:30 a.m. Our flight was scheduled to take off at 12:15,” he said. “We got on the plane, and it was maybe 10 minutes behind schedule. The skies were closed, but they let us get out.”

Their plane landing safely at Miami International Airport several hours later.

Some passengers told 7News they were still shaken up.

“I was scared, I start to cry,” said traveler Taly Raz. “I didn’t know if I’m going to see my kids, if we were going be flying, if we were going to get bombed while we were on the airplane.”

Many didn’t know whether they would take off or have to seek shelter at the airport.

“Just the whole plane was, like, really intense, people trying to figure out what’s going on,” said traveler Aryeh Levine. “It was a really surreal situation.”

Passengers watched everything unfold on their phone screens.

“We were on the plane, and everyone was connected to the Wi-Fi, so you could see it was like a fireworks display in the sky, just rockets coming in, and the iron dome intercepting all the rockets,” said Levine.

Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, the Consulate General of Israel on Miami, spoke about the attacks hours later.

“Iran should be held accountable for everything that they’ve been doing, for whatever they’ve done last night, and we know what they’ve done last night,” he said. “Iran will carry the consequences of such attack.”

Those on board the plane that landed at MIA hope this conflict doesn’t escalate into something worse.

“We want peace. We want everybody to be OK and healthy, and we don’t want to be attacked,” said Simonson.

Another flight from Tel Aviv is expected to land at MIA on Monday morning.

7News cameras on Sunday captured plumes of thick black smoke rising into the night sky, hours after the blaze ignited near the corner of Southwest 137th Avenue and Eighth Street.

According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, crews responded just before 2:15 p.m.

As of late Sunday night, the flames have spread through nearly 20 acres.

Area resident Waleska Moreira described to 7News what she saw earlier in the day.

“We were driving; I did see the fire. It was kinda like starting, and then we went to buy, like, other stuff,” she said.

Within minutes, Moreira said, the fire spread.

“It’s way worse. Like, you can see it from far away, from like Bird Road,” she said.

The smoke got so heavy, Moreira said, it was hard to breathe

“It’s bad. You can smell it, and it’s kinda like worrisome since, you, [there’s a] gas station nearby, and there’s other houses nearby,” she said.

More than 18 units from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to assist crews with the Florida Forest Service. They continue working to control the grass fire.

“Yeah, it’s pretty scary,” said a boy who lives in the area.

In a statement, MDFR spokesperson Erika Benitez wrote, “Sections of the fire on the south side have been knocked down but units continue to fight the fire progressing westward.”

As day turned into night, the blaze was upgraded to a third alarm fire.

With the limited visibility, roads where shut down, all in an effort to keep those in the area safe.

“What we are suggesting is, if you have respiratory issues, to try to avoid the area,” said Benitez. “If you’re at home or in your vehicle traveling, please keep your windows closed and your [air conditioner] recirculating inside your vehicle or your home.”

The fire takes place during the peak of what is considered the dry season in South Florida, which extends until the end of May.

Meteorologists said the conditions have been drier than usual across the region, and no rain is expected during the early part of this week.

Officials with the Florida Department of Agriculture urge residents to be “fire ready” at this point in the season.

Some 7News viewers have called in on Sunday to say they have been waiting for up to four hours to leave Key Biscayne.

The flyover bridge that connects westbound traffic to U.S. 1 and Interstate 95 will be closed for the next two months to allow crews to do some work on concrete pavement on the bridge decks, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

During this closure, the following detours have been established.

Drivers heading west on the causeway who want to go south on U.S. 1 will:

• Continue west on the causeway and merge left at the fork toward Coconut Grove/Brickell Avenue.
• Continue driving west and make a left turn onto South Miami Avenue.
• Make a right turn onto U.S. 1.

Motorists going west on the causeway who want to go north on I-95 will:

• Continue west on the causeway and merge left at the fork toward Coconut Grove/Brickell Avenue.
• Continue driving west onto Southwest 26th Road.
• Turn right at the bend on Southwest 26th Road, then continue driving toward Southwest 25th Road.
• Use the entrance ramp onto northbound I-95 from Southwest 26th Road.

Access to Brickell Avenue and South Miami Avenue will not be affected. However, officials advise drivers to expect heavy delays.

For more information about this project, visit FDOT’s website.

The blaze sparked in the area of Southwest 214th Avenue and 340th Street, Saturday afternoon, and it threatened a nearby trailer and a nursery.

Around 30 firefighters and 10 trucks with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue rushed to put out the fire and keep it from spreading.

There were no injuries.

City of Miami Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the shooting at a Chevron station in the area of Northwest 17th Avenue and 54th Street, just after 12:30 a.m., Saturday.

Investigators said the violent chain of events began with a verbal altercation inside of the gas station involving two employees.

Police said the subject pulled out a firearm and opened fire, striking the employees and a customer, then fled on foot.

The employees, identified as 51-year-old Shahbaz Hussain and 42-year-old Shamun Shaukat, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A man who identified himself as Lorenzo said he works security at the gas station. He said the victims, affectionately known by the neighbors as “Sunny” and “Moon,” were the owners of the business.

“I don’t know what the argument was,” he said. “[The gunman] shot [one of the owners] two times and then shot him in the back after he turned around, four more times, and then he shot the other guy three times.”

Lorenzo said he had overslept, and by the time he arrived, police had cordoned off the gas station with crime scene tape.

Paramedics rushed the customer, identified as 57-year-old Elijah Shorter, to Ryder Trauma Center, where he is listed in critical condition.

Back at the scene, police were seen collecting evidence and laying out several markers.

Police said they set up two perimeters, as SWAT teams searched for the shooter for hours.

“I looked outside, and there was a million cars, tanks,” said area resident Kathleen Quinn.

Just before 8 p.m., detectives confirmed they have apprehended a suspect.

“I saw about five or six cops putting him in the back of the car,” said Quinn.

Neighbors remain in shock and devastated over the loss of Hussain and Shaukat.

“They were amazing people. They’ll help you out if you’re hungry, they’ll feed you. If you’re short, they don’t worry about you paying them back,” said Quinn. “They’re just – they’re really good to you. You get to know them after a while, you know. They didn’t deserve this whatsoever.”

SWAT teams were later seen clearing out of the neighborhood.

Late Saturday night, police said the suspect they detained is at their station being questioned.

If you have any information on this shooting, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

The brush fire erupted earlier this week on Andros Island. Easterly winds carried smoke from the fire to Miami-Dade and Broward counties, even leading to an air quality alert in Fort Lauderdale.

While the fire continues to burn through a forest, firefighters said they’ve been able to keep it from spreading to populated areas.

Speaking with 7News on Friday, Maria Serrano, the chief veterinarian for Miami-Dade Animal Services in Doral, said a dog named Mello was shot in his right leg, causing a fracture to the right tibia and fibula.

“It is very challenging to see a dog that – he is so sweet, so charming, he’s amazing, and the fact that he got shot in the leg, you know probably he was going to be shot to kill, and luckily he didn’t [die],” said Serrano.

Some of the dog’s tendons are also ruptured, making surgery a necessity.

“Generally, this is an injury that in a shelter is very complicated to repair, it requires a specialized surgeon,” said Serrano. “and so, normally, we would amputate the leg to give the dog as good quality of life.”

Miami-Dade Animal Services officials said that because of the tendon rupture, Mello needs specialized surgery that can’t be done in the shelter.

Serrano said they’ve been overwhelmed dealing with an increasing amount of dogs.

“We’re trying to do our best to save them and to just provide the best care that we can for them,” said Serrano, “but we would really love the community to step up to come in and adopt, volunteer. There’s so many things you can do for these wonderful dogs. We have programs to take the dogs on a field day, so you can take them to the beach, you can just show them off to other people, you can reduce their stress.”

But for Mello, Serrano has good news about his future.

“Fortunately, we have amazing rescue partners that are willing to step up and take him to a specialist, so he is luckily going to a rescue that will provide the surgery that he needs, and hopefully, the leg will be saved,” said Serrano.

The chief veterinarian doesn’t see a reason why anyone would harm the canine they call a sweet young boy.

“Don’t harm animals if you’re scared of them. We love them,” said Serrano. “And there’s always somebody that will be willing to take care of them, so violence is definitely not an answer.”

As of late Friday night, it remains unclear who shot Mello.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the blaze at a building near Northeast 154th Street and Sixth Avenue late Friday afternoon to find heavy smoke coming from a second-floor balcony.

Crews managed to contain the flames to a single unit.

Video shared by MDFR captured the damage left behind by the fire to the walkway outside the apartment.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Commissioner Joe Magazine is an advocate for reducing crime in Miami Beach, but during some frightening moments on Thursday morning, he became the victim of one.

“[I was] just casually walking, like any other morning, over to my car,” he said, “like any other normal day.”

But it wasn’t just any day for this newly elected city official who champions public safety. As he was getting ready to head to work, he soon discovered a burglar had different plans.

“[I] open the car door, and out essentially falls a person, unexpectedly,” Magazine told 7News. “A person was in my driver’s seat.”

Within the parking garage of his West Avenue condominium, a crook spilled out of his vehicle.

“He starts taking off right away, kinda pushes me aside,” he said.

Shocked, the commissioner called police. He described the moments that followed.

“I’m on the phone with 911, so I follow him through this door,” said Magazine.

Surveillance video shows the burglar exiting the garage, with Magazine close behind. Both men rounded a corner and walked out of the frame.

Moments later, the commissioner said, a bad situation got worse.

“And he turns around, gun’s already pulled, right at my chest,” he said.

When asked what was going through his mind as he stared down the barrel of a gun, Magazine, who has a young daughter, said, “There, what was really troubling is, I knew my life was no longer in my control.”

Magazine said he chose to stand still and comply with the gunman.

“He wasn’t going to miss me. I just stopped in my tracks, put my arms up,” he said. “He started taking another step or two toward me with his gun.”

Magazine said the perpetrator then said, “Get the [expletive] back.”

When asked whether his life is flashing before his eyes, Magazine replied, “Quite literally.”

But after a few a seconds, Magazine said, the gunman turned around and left.

“I retreated that way and ran around the building,” he said. “By the time I even got to the other side of my building, you had police coming down West Avenue.”

A surveillance still shows what appears to be a gun in the burglar’s right hand.

“It appears to be a firearm there,” said Magazine.

As of Friday night, police continue their search for the subject captured on surveillance video wearing an orange bucket hat, striped shirt and shorts. Police said he stands about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and has a medium build.

If you have any information on this incident or the subject’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units arrived at the scene along the 3400 block of Northwest 135th Street, at Everglades Recycling, Friday afternoon.

7Skyforce hovered above the scene at 4 p.m. as black smoke billowed from a pile of rubble at the junkyard. Firefighters were also seen attempting to douse the flames with water.

According to fire rescue officials, 15 units responded to the fire and used heavy machinery to locate the seed of the fire.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is not known.

The incidents began in October 2023, with 24-year-old Roger Alaniz allegedly initiating contact with the students.

Police said that one of the victims reported that Alaniz pressured her to give him her phone number and subsequently sent messages indicating romantic interest, causing her to feel uncomfortable.

According to the arrest report, Alaniz wrote his personal phone number on a paper the victim was working on, which she ignored.

The arrest report states Alaniz asked her numerous times, “Have you added me yet?” and “When are you going to text me?” The victim replied, “I’ll do it later.”

Alaniz then approached the victim with his phone and said, “Put your number,” the report states. The victim reportedly felt pressured and entered her phone number in his phone.

The arrest report states that Alaniz and the victim engaged in normal conversation at first, but then Alaniz messaged her, “I think I might have a crush on you. Is that weird?”

The victim reportedly told police that she felt uncomfortable and “purposely arrived late to class” or would “wait for friends to enter the class.”

Police said that the victim didn’t report it because “she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction that his comment affected her. However, she felt guilty about not reporting it because she could have stopped him from reaching out to other girls.”

Another victim reportedly recounted similar experiences, stating that Alaniz attempted to manipulate her by threatening her grades and asserting control over her academic future.

The arrest report states Alaniz requested to follow the victim on Instagram, which she accepted and asked him a question about an assignment. That’s when, according to the arrest report, Alaniz asked for her number and started to message her and they engaged in conversation about school and Alaniz gave her advice about personal problems with friends and boys.

The arrest report states that Alaniz asked “how far she sexually engaged with a boy” and “invited her to go out with him to watch a movie and drive her around town.”

When the victim began to ignore Alaniz, he told her “that her grades would be affected.”

The victim told Alaniz that she wanted a different teacher, and he told her “she would not be able to get out of his class, and if she did, he would find her,” the arrest report states. The victim reportedly told police she did not report the incident sooner because she feared Alaniz.

Miami-Dade Schools Police questioned Alaniz in December of 2023.

On Thursday, nearly five months later, he was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correction Center in West Miami-Dade.

Friday morning, Alaniz appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer.

The judge issued a stay-away order from the alleged victims.

His sister appeared in court over Zoom in tears.

7News received a statement by M-DCPS that reads in part:

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is profoundly troubled by the concerning allegations made against the former employee, leading to his arrest. Upon learning about this suspected behavior, he was immediately reassigned away from the school while Miami-Dade Schools Police conducted their investigation, and his employment with the District was subsequently terminated. 

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Alaniz is charged with two counts of offenses against students by authority figures and two counts of child abuse with no great bodily harm.

“The bond is $5,000 in counts three and four of the child of charge abuse. It will be $2,500 each count,” said Glazer.

“I spent 3 years of active service started in 1967 during the Vietnam era,” said Harry.

The Johnson family, who have been residents of their home since 1973, received a much needed renovation to their home to make it a safe and pleasant place to live.

“I thank the good Lord that I was able to be here to see all of the good that’s happening to me and my family,” said Harry

Volunteers dedicated their time to painting the home, landscaping the garden, revamping the walkway, and installing a new flagpole and flag to honor and assist the veteran who served his country.

“It feels good that someone is here caring about you,” said Stephanie.

Over the years, he has had trouble keeping up with repairs and upkeep as Harry has had two knee replacements. Harry then continued his service locally as a mail carrier for 38 years.

With the help of Team Depot spending the week touching up the home and redoing the backyard, fresh herbs were planted along the side of the house, a new patio was put in place and a new fence with potted flowers.

“This means the world to all the associates out here that’s helping out today. It’s one of the best things we can do by giving back to the ones that gave back to us,” said Dino Farley, assistant store manager of Home Depot.

The Johnsons raised two biological children and two adopted daughters in their home. They are overjoyed as they are already picturing the new memories to be made.

“To enjoy, to laugh, to dance, to cry, to be thankful — we are just happy,” said Stephanie. “It’s happy to know we have this here now on Earth.”

Team Depot put on the finishing touches to the Johnson’s home on Friday, inspiring others to contribute their time and energy to America’s heroes.

Video footage of the scene showed a crashed vehicle on a property near Homestead Avenue and Hibiscus Street. According to police, the incident occurred around 3 a.m. Friday after as ShotSpotter alert led authorities to the scene.

“I just heard shots. I’m like, ‘Oh, my God,'” said one bystander. “Then I came out here to see the scene and I saw him laying on the floor. I was just — everything just left my body. It was so sad.”

The aunt of the victim told 7News that the deceased father of six in his late 20s was Kelvin Stanley Daye Jr. She mentioned hearing gunshots after he left his sister’s house. Daye then continued driving, ultimately losing control of his car.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported Daye to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An eyewitness described the scene as she recalled hearing loud noises that led her to find out what happened.

“All I heard was the car screeching,” she said. “It sent around the circle on Hibiscus Street and I heard a bang, so that got me up. I went to the door and this car had hit a sign, right into the bushes on Hibiscus Street, in the circle, and went up in my next-door neighbor’s yard.”

She said she noticed the back window was completely gone and bullet holes on the passenger side of the car as a result of the gunshots.

Around 7 a.m., as residents of the area got ready for their day, they noticed the crime scene and gathered to find out what exactly happened in their neighborhood. Mark Harris, an activist in the neighborhood who runs a local coalition, had a message for the youths of the community.

“There’s youths walking literally with guns on their side,” he emphasized. “We live in a Western world. We need to change these laws and how they carry these weapons. The officers are already afraid because they don’t know how to approach these young men.”

It is unclear if any arrests have been made, but the investigation remains ongoing.

If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Manuel Rocha, 73, will also pay a $500,000 fine and cooperate with authorities after pleading guilty to conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed more than a dozen other counts, including wire fraud and making false statements.

“Your actions were a direct attack to our democracy and the safety of our citizens,” U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom told Rocha.

Rocha, dressed in a beige jail uniform, asked his friends and family for forgiveness. “I take full responsibility and accept the penalty,” he said.

The sentencing capped an exceptionally swift criminal case and averted a trial that would have shed new light on what, exactly, Rocha did to help Cuba even as he worked for two decades for the U.S. State Department.

Prosecutors said those details remain classified and would not even tell Bloom when the government determined Rocha was spying for Cuba.

Federal authorities have been conducting a confidential damage assessment that could take years to complete. The State Department said Friday it would continue working with the intelligence community “to fully assess the foreign policy and national security implications of these charges.”

Rocha’s sentence came less than six months after his shocking arrest at his Miami home on allegations he engaged in “clandestine activity” on Cuba’s behalf since at least 1981, the year he joined the U.S. foreign service.

The case underscored the sophistication of Cuba’s intelligence services, which have managed other damaging penetrations into high levels of U.S. government. Rocha’s double-crossing went undetected for years, prosecutors said, as the Ivy League-educated diplomat secretly met with Cuban operatives and provided false information to U.S. officials about his contacts.

But a recent Associated Press investigation found red flags overlooked along the way, including a warning that one longtime CIA operative received nearly two decades ago that Rocha was working as a double agent. Separate intelligence revealed the CIA had been aware as early as 1987 that Cuban leader Fidel Castro had a “super mole” burrowed deep inside the U.S. government, and some officials suspected it could have been Rocha, the AP reported.

Rocha’s prestigious career included stints as ambassador to Bolivia and top posts in Argentina, Mexico, the White House and the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

In 1973, the year he graduated from Yale, Rocha traveled to Chile, where prosecutors say he became a “great friend” of Cuba’s intelligence agency, the General Directorate of Intelligence, or DGI.

Rocha’s post-government career included time as a special adviser to the commander of the U.S. Southern Command and, more recently, as a tough-talking Donald Trump supporter and Cuba hardliner, a persona that friends and prosecutors said Rocha adopted to hide his true allegiances.

Among the unanswered questions is what prompted the FBI to open its investigation into Rocha so many years after he retired from the foreign service.

Rocha incriminated himself in a series of secretly recorded conversations with an undercover agent posing as a Cuban intelligence operative. The agent initially reached out to Rocha on WhatsApp, calling himself “Miguel” and saying he had a message “from your friends in Havana.”

Rocha praised Castro as “Comandante” in the conversations, branded the U.S. the “enemy” and boasted about his service for more than 40 years as a Cuban mole in the heart of U.S. foreign policy circles, prosecutors said in court records.

“What we have done … it’s enormous … more than a Grand Slam,” Rocha was quoted as saying.

Even before Friday’s sentencing, the plea agreement drew criticism in Miami’s Cuban exile community, with some legal observers worrying Rocha would be treated too leniently.

“Any sentence that allows him to see the light of day again would not be justice,” said Carlos Trujillo, a Miami attorney who served as U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States during the Trump administration. “He’s a spy for a foreign adversary who put American lives at risk.”

“As a Cuban I cannot forgive him,” added Isel Rodriguez, a 55-year-old Cuban-American woman who stood outside the federal courthouse Friday with a group of demonstrators waving American flags. “I feel completely betrayed.”

Investigators report back on Wednesday, March 6, they found the body of a man along Southwest 37th Avenue and 15th Street in Coral Gables.

The victim was identified as 57-year-old Jeffrey Forlenza.

Police said their search for any leads so far has yielded nothing.

If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

MDCPS announced on Tuesday that school buses in the district are now equipped with safety technology, including stop-arm enforcement cameras designed to detect and ticket vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses.

BusPatrol released a video demonstrating how the technology works as the camera sensor detects movement on the left side of the bus and captures the license plate of anyone who does not stop and drives past a stopped school bus.

This safety initiative seeks to curb dangerous motorist behavior around school buses and make the journey to and from school safer for all student riders.

MDCPS partnered with BusPatrol to launch the program with Miami-Dade Police

According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS), school buses are unlawfully passed an estimated 43.5 million times each school year in the U.S.

7News captured multiple vehicles illegally passing school buses and failing to yield as student riders entered or exited the school bus on Thursday.

A statement from BusPatrol states that the new technology will “help to change this awful behavior and bring a new era of child safety to our roadways here in Miami-Dade.”

“There is nothing more important than the safety of our students. The statistics around child safety on our roads are truly disturbing. The reckless driving behavior recorded during the pilot for this program was shocking and terrifying. Drivers need to take School Bus Safety seriously and stop when they see a school bus deploy its stop arm. This program will help to change this awful behavior and bring a new era of child safety to our roadways here in Miami-Dade.”

BusPatrol

All school buses in the Miami-Dade district are equipped with the new cameras.

The 30-day warning period began on Monday, April 8, stating if you passed a school bus while the red lights were on or if the stop arm was displayed, the cameras would read your license plate and send you a warning in the mail.

The live ticketing begins on May 8. The first offense is a mail-written warning. The second offense is a $200 fine.

“This is about to take place and if you violate, unfortunately, you will receive a $200 fine,” said Luis Diaz, Chief Operating Officer of MDCPS. “This will unfortunately trigger some conversation, and unfortunately for those that violate and feel that they do not feel the need to obey the law, will unfortunately have to pay a financial fine.”

Diaz said this was a major step in favor of children’s security.

“This would be something that everyone should be doing every day that’s transporting in a car,” said Diaz.

This new partnership and law doesn’t come with legislative hurdles.

Senate Bill 766 was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2023 allowing the identification of school bus driving-related infractions. Since the legislature passed the bill, updates have been made that evolved around what to do with the revenue generated from ticketing people.

With a possible update to the law, it may change the target date for the live ticketing.

For now, Diaz said May 8 is the goal to start live ticketing.

“The community will know what is expected on May 8 so that is our goal and that’s basically our target. That’s game day for us,” said Diaz.

In October of 1995, Orenthal James Simpson was found not guilty of murdering his wife and her friend, in a murder trial watched globally. He left the Los Angeles County Courthouse as a free man but he was not free from trouble.

Simpson would then move to sunny South Florida where he lived with his kids during the period of time between his California acquittal and his Las Vegas conviction.

But even in South Florida, TV cameras and trouble seemed to follow.

While calling Kendall his home in a house on Southwest 112th Street, his residence was raided related to drug a investigation.

There were also controversial calls to 911 and he was also arrested in Miami-Dade County.

“I’m not going to let Mr. Simpson answer any questions about the facts of this case,” said his lawyer.

His private life routinely spilled out before the public during ugly exchanges with his then girlfriend, Christie Prody.

In October of 1999, Simpson called 911 and claimed Prody was high and out of control, accusing her of drug abuse.

“She up for two days on pain pills and red bull,” he said.

In May of the following year, police were called to a hotel near Miami International Airport.

“I guess someone evidently felt that they saw her get physical with me, but she didn’t,” Simpson said.

Later that year, Simpson was was back in the news when Prody sold a story to the tabloids, which claimed that he had given her a cocaine fueled confession to the infamous murders.

She also said Simpson was stalking her and that she was living in fear.

He followed up with the media and claimed she made it all up for money.

“For the last two weeks, she’s apologized for having done this story,” Simpson said.

Despite the relationship drama, he was never charged for anything to do with Prody.

“Never in my life have I chased the guy in a car,” said Simpson.

The drama between the two didn’t end there.

In January of 2001, police were called to Prody’s Kendall apartment after a neighbor called 911 about the pair fighting.

A month after that incident, Simpson surrendered at the Miami-Dade County Jail in relation to a road rage incident that happened in December of 2000.

“Reached inside, grabbed the driver’s glasses and tore him off his face,” said an official.

Simpson would stand trial in that case after being charged with burglary and battery.

“Sorry if I cut you off. Stop (expletive) following me!” said Simpson.

The outcome in that trial was the same as his first.

“As for count one of the charge, the defendant is not guilty,” said the judge. “As for count two of the charge, the defendant is not guilty.”

Years after leaving South Florida, his home was renovated.

7News cameras captured the renovation.

When the realtor was asked if it was a brand new floor plan, he replied “Yes.”

His Kendall home was up for sale in 2017 for $1.3M

An old neighbor of Simpson described the ex-football star as the perfect neighbor.

“Never had a problem with O.J.. He was very nice,” said Carlos Perez.

Simpson lived in the Kendall home until his conviction of armed robbery in Las Vegas in 2008. The home was later demolished.

The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Pedro Maldonado.

According to Investigators, Maldonado also tried to grab that girl along Lincoln Road.

He has previous criminal history and faced a judge, Thursday morning.

Maldonado also faces a list of charges, which include lewd and lascivious behavior and battery.

Miami Dade Fire Rescue rushed to the scene of the accident near Northwest 99th Street and Northwest 7th Avenue just before 4 p.m., Thursday.

According to MDFR, two pediatric trauma alert patients were taken to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, while three other patients, including one adult and two pediatric individuals, were transported to a local area hospital.

7News cameras captured the victims arriving to the hospital.

The woman driving the Lexus reportedly told officials that she was cut off by another vehicle and swerved and hit the bus stop. Her car was filled with children.

The five who were injured were all in the vehicle at the time of the incident. At least one of them is badly injured as is the driver of the car.

It is unclear the severity of their injuries.

There was nobody sitting in the bus stop when the crash occurred.

One man, who spoke to 7News, said he was inside a store nearby when he heard a ‘Boom’ sound. He said he rushed to the scene and pulled a girl out of the car before fire rescue arrived.

“Big sound of the crash. So we came out, we looked, we saw like three kids get out the car. So we went over to assist the kids and when we looked inside the car, I saw one kid still inside the car, unconscious, so I grabbed her, laid her on the floor, and I was talking to her, making sure that she keep her eyes open,” said Will Louis.

Louis and others brought water bottles to the family as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.

The roadway at southbound 7th Avenue at 99th Street is closed and traffic is being diverted.

Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Miami Gardens Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the 3800 block on Northwest 164th Street on Thursday after the teen was allegedly shot in the back.

The juvenile was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center. Police said he was conscious when he was taken to the hospital.

As of Friday, the teen remains at the hospital.

Detectives said they are looking for four people in connection to this shooting. They said the victim was with the four suspects when he was shot.

“We have four suspects, unknown the identification or the description of the four suspects. But one was believed to shoot the juvenile and he was then airlifted to Ryder Trauma,” said Miami Gardens Police Officer Diana Delgado.

7News cameras captured several evidence markers being placed in the area of the scene along with a scooter was on the ground. Doorbell security video captured the sound of gunshots going off as two people ran off.

A neighbor, speaking to 7News, said she helped the teenager after she heard him screaming.

“I heard someone yelling, ‘Help me, please help me.’ So I went back inside the house, grabbed my phone, called 911, and then I went to assist him,” said the woman who did not want to be identified. “He was on the phone with 911 and they were telling me to apply pressure until the police came and the ambulance.”

When she asked the teen who had shot him, he didn’t know.

“Horrifying. He looked helpless,” said the neighbor. “I’m a mother. If it was my child, I wouldn’t want him to be laying in the street somewhere, screaming asking for help, and no one wants to help him.”

As an investigation into this incident continues, authorities are asking the public to call police if they know anything about this crime.

Bags of equipment carrying life-saving gear, for men and women who are on the front line, were received as former Miami-Dade commissioner Sally Heyman returns from Israel. She was joined by public safety and corrections officials and the Deputy Consul General Mike Driquez of Israel to discuss and demonstrate how this “Protective Enhancement Gear” works.

“This gear is lightweight, it’s very flexible. It protects the officers from punctures and stabbing,” said Miami-Dade Police Department Assistant Director Christopher Carothers.

The county spent roughly $69,000 on 102 sets of custom-made gear that will be used for riots and SWAT teams to help protect officers and even corrections deputies in jails.

“We are the first in then nation to get this import from Israel,” stated Heyman. “As a commissioner, I participated in two trips to Israel targeting Israeli innovations.”

The innovative protective equipment coming from a former commissioners trip to Israel to see what they could learn and bring back to the U.S.

“This day is really one of the most innovative countries in the world,” said Driquez. “I came from tech before. It comes from a place of which we can cherish a very good relationship between the states, especially since October 7.”

Ramon Hernandez with Miami-Dade’s Rapid Deployment Force explained how this is different from what he’s used to.

“What we usually have is just our vest, we have a helmet, we have a shield and we have our gun belts” he said. “This is a little more light weight, of course.”

“It also has capabilities of energy dispersions. That means if our officers were to receive any blood-force trauma while wearing the suit, it provides better protection to vital organs and different parts of the body,” said one officer.

Out of the 100 sets of gear the county received, 80 of them will go to the Miami-Dade Police Department while the others will be distributed to agencies like the City of Miami and Coral Gables police departments.

This new equipment will benefit the safety of the public and law enforcement when officers respond to calls.

The officer, whose identity remains unknown, was accidentally shot by another female officer while they were at the Homestead Training Center near Southwest 304th Street and 117th Avenue, Wednesday afternoon.

The officer was initially transported to Homestead Hospital and was then airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center Trauma Center.

“It was an accidental shot by another officer. Both of the officers are female officers,” said Pinecrest Police Chief Jason Cohen. At this point, we have no reason to believe it was anything but accidental.”

According to Cohen, the officer who was shot has been with the department for about four years, while the female officer who accidentally shot her has been with the department for longer.

After the officer was hospitalized, Cohen said that she was great condition and was expected to be OK.

“She’s in great condition. She’s going to be just fine. That’s the best news that we could have. She’s in good spirits. She’s surrounded by her family,” said Cohen.

It remains unclear how the accidental shooting happened.

“We will evaluate the training, we will evaluate all the safety precautions and will make sure this never happens again,” said Cohen.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating this incident, and the Pinecrest Police Department is conducting its internal investigation.

The research has allowed doctors to precisely target cancer cells through genetic testing evaluating the cancer cells against more than 100 FDA-approved cancer drugs within a week. This turnaround would give oncologists a better idea of which treatment path could be more successful for their patients. FIU researchers, led by Diana Azzam, have opened a new frontier in targeted cancer therapy.

For the first time, this approach was successfully applied to pediatric patients facing hard-to-treat, recurring cancers — those who had exhausted all other treatment options.

One of the most heartening success stories to emerge from this research is that of 8-year-old Logan Jenner, who has been in remission for over two years.

He underwent chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant only to face the heartbreak of relapse. Jenner’s involvement in the study helped doctors create a new and improved treatment as researchers excluded a medication that had previously been toxic for him.

The Jenner family, along with doctors who aided in the study, spoke Thursday at the Academic Health Center at FIU’s Wolfson Campus where they discussed the research in a news conference.

“It’s a miracle and it has changed mine and my husband’s perspective on life,” said Diana, Logan’s mother. “It’s rewarding to see everything he does. He plays the violin and he does jujitsu. He’s just incredible. We think he’s gonna be lawyer, he talks back all the time about everything.”

The crowd filled with laughter as Logan rolled his eyes at his mother’s remark.

Dr. Maggie Fader with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital explained how she had to tell the news to Logan’s parents when he started to relapse after his session of treatments.

“We had to tell them that now that he’s already had everything that’s considered upfront standard of care and it’s come back, that there is a less than 30% likelihood that we will get him back into remission and get him here in the next three years.”

The trial by FIU at the hospital gave the family hope.

“Adding all these drugs directly onto the tumor cells will identify what works and what doesn’t on the patients cancer cells,” explained Dr. Azzam at the news conference. “So instead of doctors guessing to see what works and what doesn’t.”

Dr. Fadder said Logan’s professional health team worked on determining what works for him during the investigation process of the research.

“We used the best choices of what we saw in his treatment and then hoping that would get us a better outcome and eliminate some of the unnecessary treatments that don’t work,” she said.

Other patients that exhausted all other treatments saw similar results.

“With this remarkable ground-breaking work has not just has this remarkable result in Logan, but in 83% of the children that had their tissue advertised in this laboratory right here,” said Raymond Rodriguez-Torres with the Live Like Bella Foundation, the organization that helped fund FIU’s research.

The research done by FIU sparks a glimmer of hope in the horizon for science and cancer research.

“Perhaps if we, in the future, are able to test and we see upfront that drug X and Y don’t work in this patient’s cancer, we don’t offer that. We just go straight to what does work,” said Dr. Fader.

The work continues at FIU with ongoing pediatric and adult trials.

Bagpipes filled the air and the American flag flew high from an aerial truck as Joseph Zahralban retired his helmet and ax after a lifetime of service and dedication to the department.

“We gather not only to recognize his outstanding career but also to express our deepest gratitude to his family, who have stood by his side throughout this journey,” said announcer at the ceremony.

A spark ignited within Zahralban at just 18 years old. He joined the department in 1990 and served as chief for 7 years.

“It’s your drive, your passion, your energy, and your commitment, to never surrender no matter the challenge that is what makes this organization great,” said Zahralban.

LoanDepot Park was packed Wednesday as some of the best firefighters in the nation and members of the community honored the now-former chief and welcomed Chief Robert Hevia into his new role.

” I want you to hear it from me in front of all these people today, you are absolutely ready to lead us into the next generation,” said Zahralban. “Chief Hevia will now be our 20th.”

Chief Hevia played important roles within the department for years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘And I am deeply honored and humbled to be the 20th fire chief to serve our community and serve the brave men and women of our fire department,” said Hevia.

Moments like this, both men will never forget as they lead our community to excellence through service yesterday, today and for years to come.

“I am privileged to have led you and I am a better person because of you, thank you,” said Zahralban.

The suspect, Suhail Apiou, is under arrest for allegedly making threats via voicemail and email to Saint Martha’s Catholic Church and Parish in Miami Shores.

The church was forced to evacuate but no injuries were reported.

Police did a sweep of the area around the church and found no explosive devices.

Police say Apiou, 45, has been baker-acted in the past.

The music icon paused her “Celebration” tour concert in Miami on Tuesday night to call attention to the over 100 survivors and victims’ family members that she invited to the show, making a powerful speech to urge people to “remember that you have the ability to shine light in the world and to make a difference.”

“Nightclubs, music and dance are what bring us together,” Madonna said, according to footage posted to social media from the concert. “They shouldn’t be places or things that we do that bring us sadness and tragedy and murder and death and pain and suffering and trauma.”

“But unfortunately,” she continued, “human beings are still stuck in some kind of a rut.”

In June 2016, An American-born man who’d pledged allegiance to ISIS gunned down 49 people at Pulse, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando, and injured over 50 people. Authorities at the time said it was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States and the nation’s worst terror attack since 9/11.

At her show this week, Madonna went on to say that “people getting together to dance in a club that is inclusive, full of love – it was Latin night, people were dancing for Latin music – and some motherf— came in there with two guns and just starts shooting at people.”

“I’m very emotional about this,” she said, her voice cracking. “My job is to bring you together, to make people dance, to make people happy, to not judge. This s— is not supposed to happen.”

The “Vogue” singer named a number of the survivors in the audience and mentioned their harrowing survival stories.

“When are we going to learn?” she asked.

Madonna then prompted her concertgoers to turn their cell phone lights on to “light up this room so that we are all reminded that their lives were not taken in vain and that we are reminded that each and every one of us have the ability to shine our own light on each other.”

With her acoustic guitar slung around her, she began to sing an emotional rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” as the audience cheered and sang along. She transitioned into singing her 1986 hit “La Isla Bonita” and snippet of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” which was featured in the Madonna-starring 1996 movie “Evita.”

At the end of the medley, Madonna, along with her audience, collectively chanted, “no fear.”

This is not the first time the “Ray of Light” hitmaker has spoken out about gun violence and gun control.

In 2019, for her album “Madame X,” Madonna released a harrowing music video for her song “God Control,” which was directly inspired by the tragedy in Orlando.

On her official YouTube page for the song, she wrote, “This is your wake up call. Gun violence disproportionately affects children, teenagers and the marginalized in our communities. Honor the victims and demand GUN CONTROL. NOW. Volunteer, stand up, donate, reach out. Wake up and insist on common-sense gun safety legislation. Innocent lives depend on it.”

Madonna heads to Austin, Texas for her next “Celebration” tour show on Sunday.

The incident happened at a home, where officers said a young woman’s ex boyfriend showed up and started a dispute with her current boyfriend, Wednesday.

According to officers, they found one person dead on arrival and said neighbors reported hearing two gun shots.

Both the man and the woman are being questioned by police but officials called the shooting justified and nobody will be charged.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Miami-Dade Police Department responded to the Homestead Training Center near Southwest 304th Street and 117th Avenue, on Wednesday afternoon.

“We have an officer shot in Homestead Training Center. Pinecrest units put her in a vehicle in Homestead Training Center,” a dispatcher said. “They are about to leave to Homestead Hospital. Priority. Shutdown the roads taking to the hospital.”

7Skyforce flew over the scene capturing multiple law enforcement agencies responding to the scene.

The officer was initially transported to Homestead Hospital and then airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center Trauma Center.

According to the Pinecrest police chief, the officer was shot by another officer during an annual tactical firearms training exercise.

“It was an accidental shot by another officer. Both of the officers are female officers. At this point, we have no reason to believe it was anything but accidental,” said Pinecrest Police Chief Jason Cohen.

Pinecrest Police said the officer is in great condition and is expected to be OK.

“She’s in great condition. She’s going to be just fine. That’s the best news that we could have. She’s in good spirits. She’s surrounded by her family,” said Cohen.

Cohen said he was relieved to know the officer is recovering at the hospital.

“I’m extremely relieved. You get that call that no chief ever wants to hear, that one of your officers was shot, regardless of how it happened, you never want to hear that,” said Cohen. “But I knew from pretty early on that it wasn’t a very very serious wound and she was going to be OK, so that was a big relief.”

The chief said the officer has been on the force for four years.

“The one who was shot has been on the department for about four years and the other one has been on longer than that,” said Cohen.

Her identity has not been released.

It is unclear when the officer will be able to return to work but the chief said she will be able to go back and will be fine.

“We will evaluate the training, we will evaluate all the safety precautions and will make sure this never happens again,” said Cohen.

An investigation is underway to determine how the officer was shot.

During a 30-day warning period, which started on Monday, the county hopes to educate drivers about the seriousness of passing stopped school buses.

Starting on May 8, violators could face $200 fines.

This measure is made possible through a partnership between Miami-Dade County and BusPatrol.

All school buses in Miami-Dade have been equipped with safety technology, including stop-arm enforcement cameras. The cameras are designed to capture license plates of vehicles that illegally pass stopped school buses, allowing for tickets to be issued through the mail.

According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, school buses are unlawfully passed an estimated 43.5 million times each school year in the US.

It remains unclear where the on the property the water main broke or how long the zoo will be closed.

Martinez is charged with unlawful compensation and conspiracy to commit unlawful compensation, both are third-degree felonies. If convicted, each charge carries a maximum sentence of up to up to 5 years in prison.

Authorities said Martinez accepted $15,000 from a supermarket owner who was facing repeated fines for having too many storage units in the property. In exchange for the money, Martinez reportedly pushed legislation to allow the supermarket and its landlord to legally have the storage unit containers.

The legislation never passed and was never considered by commissioners.

On Friday, 7News spoke to Martinez’s attorney.

“A trail commissioner Martinez is looking forward to,” said attorney Benedict P. Kuehne. “We are prepared to go to trial. We had some other legal rulings on the evidence in what the theory of defense is allowed to be. All of which, we believe, the judge ruled favorably and in commissioner Martinez’s favor so that he has a full opportunity to demonstrate to the jury, the people of Miami-Dade County that he’s not guilty. [He] absolutely did not do what the state claims.”

The 65-year-old former commissioner has denies all claims against him, calling them false and politically moved.

Back in September 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis took action against Martinez and suspended him through an executive order that barred the longtime county official from performing any official acts or receiving any government pay.

In response to the fatal shooting, the city is hoping to address potential measures, like bar hours of operation and enhanced security, that may prevent tragedies in the future.

“He lost his life doing his job,” said Doral Mayor Christi Fraga after the tragic incident.

On Wednesday morning, Fraga led the discussion, titled “Policy and permits for extended hours,” and is going to talk about Doral’s ordinance and how to move forward regarding nightclubs in Doral.

“Right now, what we’ll do is put a hold on all of the extended hour applications and once the ordinance changes, which is what I’m proposing, that we change it to be until 2 a.m. Then that’ll be the max that anybody can ask for an extension to,” said Fraga in an interview with 7News ahead of the meeting.

On Wednesday afternoon, officials held a workshop to provide a platform of deliberation on proposed policy adjustments and to discuss safety measures within Doral’s nightlife scene.

The shooting at CityPlace unfolded after, Doral Police said, the shooting occurred after two people got into a fight over a pillow. Authorities working the area immediately responded and shot and killed the gunman, who was identified as Jamal Wayne Wood.

Despite his efforts to intervene and protect others, George Castellanos succumbed to his injuries.

“So he goes out there and tries to separate the fight and when he does, the guy just takes out a gun and shoots him two times. One in his chest and the other in his stomach,” said George’s mother, Jeannine, the day after her son was killed.

Six other innocent bystanders and a Doral police officers are also recovering after being shot in the exchange.

Officials will examine bar hours of operation so something like this doesn’t happen again.

“We will look at incident reports and decide whether its a good idea to keep the same time operations or to reduce that,” said Mayor Fraga.

For the past two decades, some bars were able to stay open until 4 a.m. with permission. Another undeniable issue is firearms in plain sight.

“Require a security company to have a mobile metal detecting device for additional security measures that must be utilized for the entrance of any patron into the establishment,” added Fraga.

The Castellanos family wants to see more of those regulations. They know it won’t bring back their son’s beaming smile, but they will make sure his death will not be in vein.

“My son is 22, almost 23, and he was also planning to work at that place, at that time,” said Councilwoman Digna Cabral at Wednesday’s meeting. “My thoughts and prayers to the family.”

Fraga hopes the ordinance will stop tragedies like this one from ever happening again.

“As the community has grown, as the city has evolved, we will now make a decision on whether it’s appropriate for those businesses to be open until that time. My opinion is, it’s not. We are a family-oriented community and this is what our residents want,” emphasized Fraga.

Once the council members decide they want to move forward with the proposed ordinance, it will be presented in two weeks to the full council and then again on May 8 for a final vote.

But getting Chloe, the 1-year-old French bulldog, back was a mission.

7News reported on Friday that Chloe was stolen after she ran off when a pool cleaner left the gate open.

“In a matter of seconds, the door opens, she went out,” said her owner, Grethel Beaton. “She means the world to me, she is 1 year and four months, she is our baby, she’s the baby of the house.”

In a video tracked down by a private investigator, the dog is seen running into the street. A person driving a white van picks the dog up. But, in a rush to get to work, the driver hands the dog off to another woman.

“That person gave the dog to someone else who was walking by,” said Beaton.

Determined to find Chloe, the family posted flyers and even offered a $2,000 reward for her return.

“She has more value for us than to anybody else. The $2,000 could buy any dog, but it’s not about the money,” said Gerardo Machado.

Along with the private investigator, they had the whole neighborhood’s help searching for Chloe.

“Mr. Machado came to me and said, ‘Look, I really need my dog. It’s my family member, I need to – my kids are crying. Do something,'” said Chase Lalani, the private investigator.

Machado said Lalani managed to identify the van and the driver, which helped identify the woman who took the dog and subsequently convinced her to return the dog.

Lalani also discovered that the woman who had Chloe changed her name and re-microchipped the dog with her information.

“It was five long days, from the day she went missing until the day we recovered her,” said Beaton.

“It was really a community effort,” said Machado. “A lot of people opened up their doors to show videos and that the detective, I think, without them was pretty much impossible to get her here.”

Machado said his daughter called him her hero once Chloe was found, which melted his heart.

“He’s my hero,” said Alexandria Machado.

The father said it was the best accomplishment out of this whole ordeal trying to find Chloe.

Now Chloe wears an Apple AirTag and has been re-microchipped with Beaton’s information so she won’t get lost again.

She is back running around with her family, and they couldn’t be happier to have her back.

“What did it feel when you saw her for the first time after five days,” Beaton asked Alexandria.

“Excited and happy,” said Alexandria.

The family made good on their reward, giving it to the driver of the white van who helped identify the woman to whom she gave Chloe.

In the past few months, residents in Kendall have seen massive poles pop up on public sidewalks in the area of Southwest 117th Avenue and Killian Parkway. The homeowners said this is an issue that is also happening in Naples and Tampa.

Communication companies said they are working to improve everyone’s connectivity, but members of the Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations said the poles are an eyesore that could impact their health and their property value.

At a meeting on Tuesday night, association leaders reacted to the towers being placed in their neighborhoods.

“The community has screamed out to us about these towers that keep popping up in their communities and coming soon to where I live in Calusa,” said Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations President Michael Rosenberg. “I may walk out one morning and, boom, there’s this 60-foot tower in front of my house.”

Miles Moss, who represents about 1,500 homes in the Winston Park community, said the blame lies with the county.

“They have an off-duty officer with them that they hire, and they just start putting the pole up. The county has issued the permit way in advance,” said Moss.

Miami-Dade County officials declined to speak with 7News during Tuesday’s meeting.

Homeowners said the county officials told them that the Florida Legislature tied their hands with a new law that automatically grants permits to companies after a certain amount of time.

“It’s an extremely attractive state law for the company that’s putting these up because, again, there’s very little jurisdiction,” said Silvia Morales Gutierrez, a homeowner in Glen Cove.

Homeowners at the meeting said they would like to see the same transparency they’ve seen in the past with utility companies.

“AT&T talked about where the lines were going to go, ‘We’re going to put it here, we need to go in your backyard, we need to do this here,'” said Moss. “[Florida Power & Light] has done the same, the water department did the same, but these guys, I don’t know who they are.”

7News did not immediately heard back from the communications company listed by the homeowners.

But these homeowners are very motivated to get the state law changed. They said they are organizing and in contact with their state representatives because they don’t want this to happen to any other homeowner in Florida.

Alekxei Pino had his leg amputated back in February.

Twenty-two-year-old Alekxei Pino, an employee of the Transportation Security Administration, showed 7News his other leg on Tuesday.

“They sliced through my nerves, all the way across,” he said. “This [leg] is shattered, and this one is mangled.”

Pino suffered these injuries on Feb. 6, when he was hit by a car and pinned against another in Southwest Miami-Dade.

The victim was accidentally struck by Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith.

Body camera video shows an officer asking Highsmith a few questions.

“So you were driving this way?” asked the officer.

“Yes,” said Highsmith.

“You were by yourself?” asked the officer.

“Yes,” said Highsmith.

Highsmith was driving home from the Kaseya Center following a Heat game against the Orlando Magic.

“Car was stopped here, and the lights weren’t on,” Highsmith told an officer.

Listed as the “at fault party” and cited for careless driving, Highsmith collided with Pino, who was in the street helping a driver with a broken-down car in the area of Southwest 136th Street and 138th Avenue.

“I heard my brother. He screamed for help. He thought I was gone,” said Pino.

The young man was told he could have easily lost his life.

“I was thanking God for every minute I was there,” said Pino as he fought back tears. “I remember saying sorry to the [emergency medical technicians], to ruin their Tuesday night.”

Attorney Manuel Dobrinsky is representing Pino, who is suing Highsmith.

“He’s worried more about how this has impacted his family. He’s worried more about putting out the people who were helping him,” said Dobrinsky.

Pino, a college student majoring in criminal justice, planned to go into law enforcement.

“What he envisioned for himself is now going to be something different,” said Dobrinsky.

But he’s battling back, and despite multiple surgeries, as well as a number of challenges, physical and otherwise, he is making progress.

“It’s hard feeling whole when you’re missing a part of you,” said Pino.

A former high school baseball and football player, Pino rehabilitates at home when not at prescribed appointments.

“I use this once a day, if not twice,” he said referring to his home gym equipment.

Pino said he is also battling mental trauma from the crash, and he hopes his story becomes a cautionary tale for drivers.

“To stay aware and be safe, always,” he said. “You might miss whatever you need to pay attention to, and that might be the kid crossing the road, the dog crossing the street, or a person like me, trying to help somebody.”

Pino’s road to recovery is uphill, but it’s one he plans to handle.

“I tell myself now, ‘You were able to do it before with two legs. You can do it with one,'” he said.

Pino also suffered serious injuries to his shoulder and hand.

As of late Tuesday night, representatives for Highsmith have not responded to 7News’ request for comment.

Pino’s family has created GoFundMe page. If you would like to make a donation, click here.

The governor was in Stuart, Florida, on Tuesday to send a strong message to potential retail thieves and porch pirates.

“They will be held accountable,” said DeSantis.

House Bill 549 stiffens penalties for thieves, especially those who come on people’s property to take packages, known as porch pirates.

“You have a cottage industry of porch piracy where people will steal packages from someone’s front porch,” said DeSantis.

The law’s new penalties for porch pirates include:

• Making theft of property in an amount less than $40 is a first-degree misdemeanor.
• A subsequent violation is a third-degree felony.
• Theft of property valued at $40 or more is a third-degree felony.

7News has reported at length on thefts that took away people’s sense of security, along with their items.

“I had several packages stolen from my front door,” said Miami resident Myron Roberts.

Some video shows packages being scooped up in seconds.

Back in May of 2023, in Northwest Miami-Dade, two women made off with two large packages worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in broad daylight.

“This makes me feel very upset, that that they felt like it was OK to just walk on your property,” said resident Kiana Jackson.

But the thieves aren’t just targeting personal items. Small business owners who depend on delivery to function are also impacted by the thieves.

“I run a company called Urban Troos. It’s a really fine designer pillow decor brand,” said business owner Hannah Gardner.

Thieves in Dania Beach set Gardner’s business back a month in production and $20,000 in the hole.

“We would love for you to return thousands of dollars of inventory that absolutely has no value to you,” said Gardner.

The new law aims to make criminals think twice.

“This is not the place to do it, and if you try to do it in Florida, you are going to regret that you tried to do it in Florida,” said DeSantis.

The law goes into effect on Oct. 1.

Hundreds of sailors will be greeting visitors when Fleet Week sails back from May 5 to May 12.

This year will bring an exciting roster of events to welcome sailors, Marines and Coast Guard officers.

This year, the massive military exposition is moving several miles down, from Port Everglades to Port Miami.

“While we’ve done many weeks with the great hosts at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, this is a first for Miami,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Daryl Caudle.

Around 800 service members are expected to dock in the Magic City with one mission: to teach people, young and old, about the Navy’s importance in the defense of the U.S.

Caudle, a commander at U.S. Fleet Forces Command, explained why Fleet Week is actually quite a big deal..

“That’s the most important part of Fleet Week, is that the folks in Miami get to meet the great Americans that are on our ships, that come from all walks of life,” he said.

Like every year, attendees will also have the opportunity to tour the different ships on display. Among them will be the massive USS Harry S. Truman.

Dubbed the “finest aircraft carrier in the fleet,” this ship extends more than 1,000 feet in length and is as high as a 24-story building.

The military airplanes on board the Truman are capable of projecting tactical air power over the sea as well as inland.

The ship is the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be brought to any Fleet Week. It will soon sail on a new adventure on the Red Sea.

“She’s in her preparations for deployment, and we’re going to take a departure from that and a little break to get her down to Miami Fleet Week,” said Caudle.

Those interested in joining the U.S. Navy will have some opportunities to apply.

“We’ll have our Navy talent and acquisition teams, which, they are our recruiters, and they’ll be working closely with me and my team to actually make sure that folks who are interested in joining the Navy have all the opportunity to learn about those as well,” said Caudle.

The Truman will anchor off the shore of Miami Beach. Guests will be able take a ferry to and from the ship during Fleet Week. For more information, and how to get tickets, click here.

According to residents at the Maison Grande Condominium, located at 6039 Collins Ave., the thefts have been happening in the underground garage.

Surveillance video captured the thieves breaking into several cars and stealing an SUV.

Security officials told 7News the thieves broke into the Mini Mart Market on the third floor and stole around $1,000 in cash.

Management at the condominium notified residents in an email about the ongoing “comprehensive investigation,” with authorities.

Miami Beach Police Department is aware of the recent auto burglaries that have taken place at the Maison Grande Condominium.

We are currently conducting a comprehensive investigation and are actively engaged in our efforts to solve these cases.

We urge anyone with information about these incidents to contact our Criminal Investigations Division.

Maison Grane Condominium

If you have any information on these incidents, call Miami Beach Police at 305-673-7900 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Speaking with 7News on Tuesday, Dave Singer said the high school prank went terribly wrong.

“I couldn’t see out of my eye for two days. I mean, it was like staring at a white wall,” he said.

Since the shooting, Singer said, he’s had to visit the hospital every day to get his eye checked out.

“Three of the ophthalmologists who saw me said I’ll get my vision back, but eventually I’ll get glaucoma, and there’s a potential for me going blind in my left eye,” he said.

The incident occurred Friday night at Singer’s home located on the 8300 block of Southwest 154th Terrace.

Ring video provided to 7News by Singer shows his son and some friends arriving home when a car passes by and sprays the home with the water pellets.

At first, the shooter misses, and the car drives off. Singer reached into his car to get his wallet and begins talking to his son.

“My son said ‘Hey, they are coming back again. That’s the car,'” said Singer.

Moments later, the car drives by again and fires the water pellet gun in all directions, with one of them hitting Singer in the eye.

“Someone call the cops,” Singer is heard saying on the Ring video.

After being hit, Singer falls to the ground.

“It could have taken my eye out, because the doctor said, ‘You have no idea how serious this injury is. You could have lost your eye,'” said Singer.

The water-based gel bullets don’t usually cause much bodily harm, unless they hit someone directly in a sensitive area, like the eye.

Now Singer wants the water pellet shooters to be held accountable. He believes investigators know who is behind the drive by.

“Kids make mistakes, right? So I don’t want to ruin the kids’ lives, but it’s more upsetting to me, literally right now, that the police are not, the Palmetto Bay Police are not being more thorough with in their investigation and the kids haven’t been arrested,” said Singer.

Miami-Dade Police, who are contracted to police the Village of Palmetto Bay, said they have not arrested anyone in this incident because they cannot prove probable cause.

Police told 7News they cannot prove that the kids who shot the SplatRBall gun intended to seriously hurt Singer or anyone on the property.

“They shouldn’t have these kids five days later walking the street after they did a drive by, that’s basically what they did. They did a drive by with a pellet gun,” said Singer.

Singer, a former council member in Palmetto Bay, is the father of Jeremy Singer, the 16-year-old teen who was arrested in January after beating up a 15-year-old following baseball practice.

According to the police report, Jeremy said he tested his arm strength by throwing an air horn at the victim in an attempt to scare him, which accidentally struck his ear.

Singer said that while he is trying to keep a positive attitude about what happened on Friday night, he believes the kids who accidentally shot him should be arrested, just like his son was.

“These kids, basically, shot my eye out, OK? And the police department wants to charge them with a misdemeanor, which is absolutely crazy in my book,” he said. “So, it seems like they have different set of laws for my kids compared to other kids in the neighborhood.”

Singer said he disagrees with the MDPD because he believes that probable cause was established when the kids inside the car attacked his home twice.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Maya Moore was last seen in the area of the 12200 block of West Broward Boulevard on Monday.

She was last seen wearing a black and yellow American Heritage School uniform. She stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs around 110 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes.

According to FDLE, she may be in the company of 68-year-old Michael Moore, and they may be traveling a 2019 gray Mitsubishi Outlander with Florida tag number QUFS45. They may be traveling in the Homestead area.

Michael Moore stands 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighs around 200 pounds, and has brown eyes and gray hair.

On Wednesday morning, FDLE said that she was located and is safe.

Anyone with any information concerning the whereabouts of this person is asked to contact FDLE or the Plantation Police Department at 954-797-2100 or 911.