Miami police arrest suspect in connection with shooting of woman on Julia Tuttle Causeway

MIAMI — A Miami woman has been arrested and is charged with attempted murder in connection with a violent kidnapping and assault that ended with the shooting of a victim on the Julia Tuttle Causeway last month, police confirmed Wednesday.

The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Sept. 10 when 33-year-old Mercedes Latifah Green and a group of people whose names were redacted in an arrest report arrived at a home in Miami Gardens in a gray Ford F-150 Authorities.

Miami police said Green, along with several accomplices, approached the home around 1:40 a.m. and asked for the victim's name.

A witness who answered the door informed the victim of her presence, prompting her to meet the group, the report said.

Authorities said Green confronted the victim about money, drugs and a stolen gun, but the victim denied any involvement and locked the door on them, police said.

After the victim opened the door a second time, the group forced their way in, authorities said.

When the victim continued to deny the accusation, police say the confrontation turned violent.

Authorities said an armed man struck the victim in the face multiple times with a gun and his fists. He then handed the weapon to another perpetrator, who also used it to hit the victim, the report states.

According to police, a witness said Green joined in the attack and hit the victim in the head with a liquor bottle. According to investigators, a third perpetrator brandished a weapon during the attack, preventing anyone from intervening.

Police said the victim was then dragged out of the house by her hair and forced into the back of the truck.

In a desperate attempt to avoid further harm, the victim sent her captors to her father's house, falsely claiming that the stolen gun was there, according to authorities.

Shortly thereafter, around 2 a.m., police said the victim's father was awakened by a knock on his door, where an unknown woman asked for “Joe” and inquired about the gun.

According to the report, he denied any knowledge of the weapon and the group left the location.

According to investigators, the group continued driving with the victim until they stopped on the side of the Julia Tuttle Causeway around 3:08 a.m.

Police said the male perpetrators dragged the victim from the vehicle and one of them shot her three times in the upper body before fleeing in the pickup truck.

Police said license plate readers caught the truck, which was registered to one of Green's accomplices, leaving the area just after 3:09 a.m

Despite her life-threatening injuries, police managed to get the victim to cross the causeway in search of help.

Around 3:45 a.m., a passerby spotted her and called Miami Beach police. When officers arrived, they found the victim with severe facial injuries and multiple gunshot wounds, investigators confirmed.

Police said she was immediately taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where she was intubated due to the extent of her injuries.

Although the victim was unable to provide a statement at the time due to his condition, authorities said evidence was piling up.

Investigators said they discovered blood splatters on the ceiling, walls and furniture of the Miami Gardens home, even though the witness tried to clean up after the attack. According to police, the witness confirmed that the blood belonged to the victim.

On Sept. 13, police said the victim regained consciousness and was able to give a statement to investigators from her hospital bed.

She confirmed that she knew all the culprits except Green.

Investigators said they also collected evidence from surveillance cameras in the area that they said captured the truck of one of Green's accomplices turning onto Northeast 68th Street at 1:38 a.m.

On Sept. 24, police said they administered a serial photo series to the victim. The victim confirmed that Green hit her with a liquor bottle during the attack and was present during the kidnapping and subsequent shooting.

Investigators said Miami-Dade's Felony Apprehension Team located Green and took her into custody on Tuesday.

Investigators said Green waived her Miranda rights and denied being present at the shooting.

Police said the case was still under investigation and several suspects were still at large.

Jail records show Green faces one count each of attempted aggravated murder, robbery or home invasion with a firearm, and kidnapping with a firearm or firearm.

As of Wednesday, she was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where her bond was pending.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.