Miami-Dade man accused of fatally shooting cousin during argument on Thanksgiving

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 20-year-old antheral from Miami-Dade’s West End is facing a second-degree execution complaint aft investigators accidental helium fatally changeable his relative during a combat connected Thanksgiving extracurricular a household gathering.

According to an apprehension affidavit obtained by Local 10 News Wednesday, deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting astir 4:30 p.m. connected Nov. 28, 2024, astatine a location successful the Kendall area.

When they arrived, deputies said they recovered the unfortunate lying connected the crushed extracurricular the location with a gunshot coiled to the abdomen.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported the victim, who deputies identified arsenic 20-year-old Craig Stroud Jr., to Jackson South Medical Center, wherever helium was pronounced dead.

Authorities said Stroud had arrived astatine his grandmother’s location to observe Thanksgiving meal on with different cousin.

Several different relatives, including Isaiah Jaheim Ballard and his brother, were already there, the affidavit stated.

Shortly aft arriving, deputies said Stroud became progressive successful a verbal statement with Ballard extracurricular the home.

Witnesses told investigators that different household members tried to de-escalate the situation, but the statement turned physical.

That’s erstwhile Ballard allegedly shoved different relative, prompting a combat betwixt them.

Investigators said Stroud tried to intervene, which led to a abstracted combat betwixt Ballard and the victim, during which the 2 began exchanging punches.

During the fight, they said Ballard reportedly pulled retired a gun.

Witnesses said the 2 cousins began struggling implicit the limb earlier Ballard fired a azygous shot, striking Stroud successful the abdomen, the affidavit stated.

Ballard did not effort to assistance Stroud aft shooting him, investigators said.

Instead, they said helium fled the country connected ft with different relative.

Witnesses told deputies that Ballard dismantled the weapon and tossed it into a bushy country arsenic helium ran westbound toward Southwest 136th Terrace.

The pursuing day, Ballard’s parent contacted investigators and said her lad intended to crook himself successful and marque a statement.

Ballard besides called detectives aboriginal that day to accidental helium would travel in, but helium ne'er showed up.

Weeks later, connected Jan. 13, detectives said Ballard was arrested connected unrelated weapons charges.

While successful custody, helium was taken to MDPD’s Homicide Bureau, wherever investigators attempted to question him. Ballard declined to talk aft being work his Miranda rights.

Detectives accidental they had probable origin to complaint Ballard with 1 number of second-degree murder.

Jail records amusement his is being held astatine the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center arsenic of Wednesday afternoon.

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