Who is Taniyria Holt? Atlanta woman, 24, accidentally shoots sister, 18, in face
MIAMI, FLORIDA: In another harrowing incident in Miami, an accidental shot fired from a 9mm handgun has left an 18-year-old girl battling for her life while her older sister remains in custody, at the risk of facing manslaughter charges. Following the incident, the teenage victim identified as Dre'Naya Ponder has been left on life support "with no expectancy of survival", reveal official documents obtained by People.
The shooter, identified as Atlanta woman Taniyria Akias Holt, has been taken into custody and charged with culpable negligence that inflicts personal injury and improper exhibition of firearms. According to police, the shooting happened in Miami Beach, Florida on Sunday, June 6, when both the victim and the accused were driving around in a car. Miami recently saw a number of other shootings, with three gunmen opening fire at the El Mula Banquet Hall on May 31, and another 10-year-old boy accidentally shot with a real bullet amid a drive-by game of paintball. Another incident saw a rapper from DaBaby's entourage arrested on charges of attempted murder after he and another accused fired at two victims outside a Miami nightclub.
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Who is Taniyria Holt?
Holt has been identified as the individual who unknowingly fired the shot inside a 2019 Jaguar F-Pace while she was sitting next to the victim, with two other women accompanying them on the ride. According to police reports, the four women were recording themselves on their phones when Holt, who was riding in the front passenger seat, was handling a 9mm handgun owned by one of the women inside the car. The owner of the firearm was identified as Ashley Burden by Miami Herald, who reported she was sitting directly behind Holt.
Holt then "racked the firearm and observed a live round being ejected," as per her statement to the police. “Thinking the firearm was free of live rounds, Ms Holt said she went to pass the firearm over to her sister, Ms Ponder (who was sitting behind the driver), but accidentally shot her,” the police report said. “The cellular phone being utilized by Ms Ponder showed signs of the projectile having penetrated it as said projectile struck Ponder in the facial area, causing her injuries.”
Will Holt face manslaughter charges?
According to the Associated Press, Holt, who's originally from Atlanta, Georgia, was visiting South Florida when the harrowing incident went down inside their vehicle. Holt, who has waived her right to remain silent, is currently being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami without bail, as per online jail records. It is uncertain if she has an attorney but the arrest report reveals that Holt is likely to face a manslaughter charge if her sister, Ponder, dies.
Initial reports of the shooting state that Miami Beach police had immediately closed the northbound lanes of the Alton Road flyover from the Julia Tuttle Causeway after finding the victim with a gunshot wound inside the car. The flyover is said to take I-195 motorists over Biscayne Bay to Miami Beach. The victim was located by Miami Beach officers and Miami Beach Fire Rescue at 8.14pm, and at the time, Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said, "A female with an apparent gunshot wound has been transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Unit. Preliminary information gathered indicates the gunshot wound may have been self-inflicted.”