Tragic Miami Shooting: Homeless Man Charged with Murder of 28-Year-Old

Southwest 224th Street, Miami, Florida, USA - In a deeply troubling incident in Miami-Dade County, a 53-year-old homeless man, Alexander Mills, has been charged with murder following the shooting death of 28-year-old Jonathan Isaiah Lucas. The tragic event unfolded just before 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the Princeton area, highlighting the ongoing issues of crime and safety in local communities.

According to Local 10 News, deputies responded to reports of a fight and gunfire at a residence on Southwest 224th Street. Upon arrival, they discovered Lucas suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the front yard. He was airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center, but despite the best efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries.

Just moments before the shooting, Lucas had reached out to his girlfriend, expressing distress about Mills following him and shooting at him. Surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store corroborated this, showing Mills driving erratically and chasing Lucas shortly before the fatal encounter. Despite admitting to being the driver of the truck, Mills asserted that he was „waiting for police to find him“ when authorities located him. After being read his Miranda rights, he chose to remain silent but later claimed self-defense, a statement that conflicts with the evidence gathered.

What Criminal Data Tells Us

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, a chilling reminder of the vulnerability many face in urban settings. Miami continues to grapple with high crime rates, as highlighted by a recent report from Neighborhood Scout. The city boasts a crime rate of 34 per one thousand residents – one of the highest in America across all community sizes.

In a city where the chance of becoming a victim of a violent or property crime stands at one in 29, the safety of residents is a pressing concern. With violent crime occurring at a higher rate compared to most communities nationwide, the situation is especially critical. The chance of being a victim of violent crime in Miami is one in 205, and residents face a one in 34 chance of property crime victimization.

To combat these alarming trends, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) launched a Crime Data Dashboard on May 22, 2025. As reported by Miami-Dade County, this initiative aims to provide the public with real-time crime statistics, thus fostering transparency and empowering residents to engage in community safety and crime prevention efforts. Sheriff Rosie has emphasized the importance of data and analytics in enhancing transparency and accountability within law enforcement.

As Mills faces charges of second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, the community is left searching for answers. With Mills currently being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, residents hope that justice will be served. Meanwhile, the discourse surrounding safety and crime prevention continues to be at the forefront of Miami-Dade’s priorities, reflecting the community’s urgent need for solutions in these uncertain times.