A tragic incident unfolded in Miami, Florida, when a man fatally shot a local school teacher, injured another man critically, and then committed suicide. The authorities have not disclosed the identities of the shooter or the injured man. However, the deceased woman has been identified as Maria Cruz de la Cruz, 51, an educator at Doral Academy K – 8 charter school, where she taught algebra, geometry, and Spanish.
The incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. last Friday, as reported by Miami-Dade police Detective Angel Rodriguez. The police responded to a shooting report at the 9900 block SW 165 Terrace. Upon arrival, they found an adult male with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, another injured man, and Cruz, all with gunshot wounds. The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue team pronounced the shooter dead at the scene and rushed the other two victims to Jackson South Medical Center in critical condition.
Despite the medical team’s best efforts, Cruz succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival at the hospital. Another woman was present at the scene but was unharmed. The police recovered the firearm used in the shooting.
Doral Academy Principal Eleonora Cuesta expressed her grief over the loss of Cruz. She praised Cruz’s dedication, compassion, and love for her students, stating that her memory would leave a lasting impact on the school community. Cuesta assured that the school would provide necessary support to the students, including on-site counselors, to help them cope with the loss.
Detective Rodriguez confirmed that the police are not actively searching for any suspects as the incident appears to be a murder-suicide. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but investigators are exploring any potential history of domestic violence. A local resident reported hearing the gunshots and promptly called 911.
Crime Stoppers has urged anyone with information about the incident to contact the police at 305-471-2400. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up by the school to support Cruz’s two daughters. As of Sunday afternoon, the campaign had raised over $25,000 of its $100,000 goal.