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(Image source: WCBS)
BY COLLIN RUANE
Police have identified the gunman in a mass shooting that terrorized a South Florida apartment
complex Friday.
Police say this man, 42-year-old Pedro Vargas, is responsible for shooting and killing six
people at his apartment building in Hialeah. (Via WPLG)
A SWAT team fatally shot Vargas nearly eight hours after the first shots fired report came
in at around 6:30 p.m. Vargas had no criminal history leading up to the tragedy. (Via WCBS)
OFFICER CARL ZOGBY: "We shot dozens of times. We wanted to make sure he was completely
immobilized."
(Via WFOR)
But the damage was done before police could stop him. In addition to the six killed, police
also found two hostages being held inside their own apartment. (Via WCPO)
Now, neighbors and witnesses are speaking out about the man who some described as rude
and antisocial. WSVN has a look at the reaction from a couple of the gunman's neighbors.
ROSANGELA ESTRADA: "You see on TV all these crazy people, but you don't know that they
could be in your building." NEIGHBOR: "They say he didn't look like he
was okay. He seemed like he had problems." (Via WSVN)
A husband and wife, both managers of the apartment building, were the first killed in the rampage.
Their daughter explained to reporters the horror of Friday's shooting.
SHAMIRA PISCIOTTI: "I heard about 15 to 20 shots. And so I went outside, and my neighbors
were explaining that my parents had been shot. My mom was dead the moment that she was shot."
(Via WTVT)
After that, witnesses say Vargas blindly fired 10 to 20 shots into the street. He struck
and killed a 33-year-old father of two who was on his way home from work. The man was
with his children at the time. (Via CNN)
The youngest victim in the shooting was
just 17 years old. WTVJ spoke with Priscilla Perez's grandmother who says she was a well-mannered
girl, preparing to start her senior year of high school.
GRANDMOTHER: "Maybe if she was a party girl, this wouldn't have happened because she would
have been home. But she was a good girl — went to church and school."
The girl's mother and father were also shot and killed. As the investigation continues,
police say they are still searching for a motive.