MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL – Detectives have arrested a Miami man on three counts of first degree murder and 20 counts of attempted murder in relation to the mass shooting at a Miami-Dade banquet hall that killed three and injured 20 in May 2021.
According to authorities, on Thursday, September 23, 2021, Davonte Barnes, 22, of Miami, was transported to the Miami-Dade police homicide bureau for questioning where he ultimately confessed to his involvement in the shooting. Barnes told investigators that he met with other subjects involved in the shooting before it happened, and that he was aware that at least one of the subjects was armed with a firearm and that another subject wanted someone killed. He stated that they also discussed that victim would be at 7630 NW 186 street, in Miami-Dade county, and told investigators he drove to the location of the shooting, in his mothers Nissan Altima and acted as a lookout before the shooting, and reported back to the other subjects whether the victim was present at the location.
On Sunday, May 30, 2021, at 12:36 a.m., the Miami-Dade police department arrived at the location of the shooting and discovered two victims deceased from gunshot wounds. Twenty-one other victims were on-scene with gunshot wounds and were transported to various hospitals in both Miami-Dade and Broward County. Ultimately, the shooting killed Clayton Dillard and Desmond Owners, both 26, and 32-year-old Shaniqua Peterson.
Barnes was booked into the Miami-Dade jail late Thursday night and is being held without bond.
Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez called the incident a despicable and cowardly act of gun violence. No other information was made available by police related to the other suspects in the shooting.