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    Police: Gunman claims he was high on mushrooms when he randomly shot at men in Miami Beach

    MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A 22-year-old man from Georgia is facing multiple charges after shooting at two men Tuesday on South Beach, killing one of the victims.

    Tamarius Blair David Jr., of Norcross, Georgia, faces charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. According to the arrest report, David confessed to shooting at both victims randomly and said he was high on mushrooms, which made him feel empowered.

    A Miami Beach police officer heard the sound of a gunshot just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and saw David chasing after someone, the arrest report stated.

    The officer then heard several more shots and saw David shooting toward the ground.

    Police said the victim who David was chasing after wasn’t injured, but David fatally shot a second victim.

    Witnesses told Local 10 News that the second victim was shot while dining with his family at La Cerveceria off 14th Street and Ocean Drive in South Beach.

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    “There was a guy sitting at a table with all his family, kids and everything,” a witness said. “He was right there. And he shot the guy like three times.”

    Relatives identified the man who was killed as Dustin Wakefield, 21, of Colorado.

    The family says Wakefield stood up and got between David and Wakefield’s 1-year-old son, saying “He’s only a boy.” Police say David then shot Wakefield multiple times.

    Wakefield had been eating diner with his wife, son and extended relatives.

    A witness said that after the shooting, the gunman was erratic, doing something disturbing next.

    “After the shooting, he was dancing on top of the guy,” the witness said.

    Cell phone video captured by a witness shows the gunman seeming to celebrate after the shooting.

    After the gunman fled, police performed CPR on Wakefield, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital.

    Local 10 News spoke exclusively with the victim’s mother, Lora Wakefield, who said Dustin will be remembered as a “worshipper” and “the best dad ever.”

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    WATCH VIDEO OF HER INTERVIEW BELOW:

    Mother anguished after random killing of her son on South Beach
    Mother anguished after random killing of her son on South Beach

    “All I can say is Dustin loved his family and loved and cared for all he met. He will be missed in this world,” added uncle Michael Wakefield. “Dustin saved his son and his family.”

    According to the arrest report, responding officers found David trying to open a locked door while holding the gun.

    Officers said he complied with orders to drop the weapon and was taken into custody. He admitted to the crime as officers were handcuffing him, repeating, “Hey! I did it, I did it, I did it.”

    According to the arrest report, David then told them he was high on mushrooms and randomly chose two men to shoot at.

    “It was a really rough night thinking about that,” said Sally Shaar, a La Cervecería patron. “And it’s also really rough night knowing that someone lost their family.”

    David made his first court appearance before Judge Mindy Glazer on Wednesday afternoon. At one point in his hearing, David asked about his bond.

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    “Sir, you are being held with no bond. You shot and killed somebody in cold blood,” the judge said.

    A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the Wakefield family.

    Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.

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