KEY POINTS

  • A drive-by shootout late Tuesday left three men injured
  • A man and a woman was "grazed by a bullet," while another man was "struck by a bullet"
  • One of the victims believed they were targeted by the gunmen because they were gay
  • The female victim was also a lesbian

Police are investigating a drive-by shooting that left three people injured earlier this week.

The Miami-Dade County Police District said in a news release that the incident happened around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The two male victims were in their car driving eastbound on SW 191 Lane were approached by men riding all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and opened fire.

One of the men was “grazed in the head,” while the other was “struck in the head.” A third victim, a woman who was sitting outside her home when the shooting occurred, was also grazed by a stray bullet, the release further stated.

crime tape
On Wednesday, Twitter users posted messages that they saw NYPD officers shoot a man who had allegedly been attacking people with a hammer, near Eighth Avenue and West 37th Street. Reuters

The male who was struck in the head was immediately rushed to Jackson South Trauma Center in critical condition, while the remaining two victims were transported to a local hospital by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

The suspects fled the scene and drove eastbound on SW 191 Lane.

In an interview with Roy Ramos of Local 10 News, victim Clive Khouri recalled that he was inside the car with his friend when the ATV riders surrounded them.

“When I tried to speed off to come around this corner, they kept trying to shoot, shoot, shoot,” he said.

Khouri told Ramos that he believes they were targeted by the gunmen “for being gay.”

“Some of the guys probably saw us kissing in the car,” he added.

Through NBC News, Khouri's grandmother, Lillian Brown, told NBC Miami that the shooting may have been a “hate crime” and that “everyone that got hurt was gay.”

The female victim, which was identified as 42-year-old Shakena Jefferson, is a lesbian.

Her wife, Janet Medley said that “two bullets” went straight to Jefferson's head.

“The bullets were just flying across my ear. I can just hear them ringing in my ears,” Medley told Local 10 News.

Jefferson is now at home, while Khouri's friend is still in serious condition.

The Miami-Dade Police Department is not investigating the shootout as a hate crime, according to NBC News.

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