Man, 28, arrested for killing father in front of son in Miami-Dade

MIAMI – A 28-year-old man is facing a murder charge in the fatal shooting of a neighbor who worked at the Army & Air Force Exchange store in the Homestead Air Reserve Base, police said on Friday.

Police officers arrested Lazaro Simmons, of Miami Gardens, Thursday on a June 30 arrest warrant for the murder of 33-year-old Elzondro “Enn” McDowell.

A boy, McDowell’s son, witnessed the shooting on June 27 at an apartment building on U.S. 1 and Southwest 167 Avenue, according to Miami-Dade Detective Hector Montenegro’s report on the arrest warrant’s affidavit.

Miami Fire Rescue personnel pronounced McDowell dead after police officers found him lying face upward on the first-floor hallway outside of his apartment, according to Montenegro.

The boy told police officers Simmons instigated an argument with McDowell, pulled out a gun, and when he shot at his father he ran away to hide, according to Montenegro.

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Simmons had threatened to kill McDowell before the shooting, according to Montenegro. The conflict was over a woman who was McDowell’s neighbor and the mother of Simmons’s child.

Simmons has been held without bond since police officers arrested him on Thursday. He is facing a charge of second-degree murder with a weapon. Court records show he pleaded not guilty on Friday.

Detectives were asking anyone with information about the case to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477

Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Louis Wilson contributed to this report.

Location of the crime scene