A crazed gunman from Georgia has been arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, after he fatally shot a young dad and then celebrated the killing by dancing on top of the victim's body.
Tamarius Blair Davis, 22, of Norcross, Georgia, told investigators he shot Dustin Wakefield, 21, on Tuesday night because he "was high on mushrooms, which made him feel empowered," according to his arrest report.
Wakefield Died Protecting His Young Son
Wakefield, a Colorado resident, was holidaying at Miami Beach with his wife and one-year-old son. He was dining with his family at the La Cervecaria restaurant around 6:30 pm on August 24, when the incident took place, reported MEAWW.
"This guy came in with a gun waving it, saying 'It's time to die.' He pointed the gun at his son and Dustin said, 'He's only a boy,'" Wakefield's uncle, Mike told the Miami Herald. He continued, "Dustin stood up between the gunman and the baby and he shot him. He shot him multiple times on the ground."
Wakefield attempted to protect his 1-year-old son before he was shot multiple times, his family told the newspaper.
Davis Celebrated Wakefield's Murder by Dancing on the Victim's Body
The video obtained by WSVN-TV shows the alleged shooter dancing as screams are heard from inside the restaurant. A witness told CBS Miami that after the shooting, Davis celebrated by dancing on top of Wakefield. The gunman appeared to be smiling and laughing throughout the disturbing attack. He fled the scene soon afterward but was nabbed by the cops in an adjacent alley, reports say.
Davis Randomly Shot Wakefield Because He Was High on Mushrooms
Meanwhile, Davis is charged with second-degree murder, and was being held without bond at the Miami-Dade County Jail. Cellphone video captured Davis lying on his back in a nearby alleyway before he was taken into custody.
In the video, Davis appears to confess to the crime, yelling, "I did it! I did it! I did it!"
He told the police that he was "high on mushrooms" at the time of the shooting and felt "empowered" from the effect of the psychotropic drug.
Tommy Davis, the suspect's father, told The Associated Press that his son, who works for UPS, had traveled to Miami Beach with some friends. He said his son has never been in trouble or had mental health issues. No arrest record for the younger Davis could be found.
The victim was rushed to the Jackson Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his family, including his wife of two years and their son.
Social Media Reactions
Netizens have called this incident as tragic, heart-breaking and awful. Some people said Davis should receive a death penalty. One Twitter user wrote, "This must be tried as first-degree murder with death sentence period. Second degree murder base on what, he ate mushrooms and was high."
Some social media users tried to give a racial angle to the story. One comment read, "Random? Shrooms made him do it? If the races were reversed it would immediately be called a hate crime." Another comment read, "So he felt "empowered" to kill the white kid, and dance over his body in public? Cops didn't shoot the perpetrator either? Racism sure looks different in 2021."
Our leaders have enabled all the trashing, crime, corruption and other illegal activity that has taken over Miami since city leaders only cater to tourists and are driven by $$$ with no regard for residents safety and well-being. Miami is becoming a dump.
— Victoria Saife (@VSaife) August 25, 2021
