BROWARD COUNTY, FL – In a tragic turn of events, a man identified as Stephen McKenzie has been pronounced dead after allegedly opening fire and killing a woman and her three children in Pembroke Park. The Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed the devastating incident, which left the woman’s daughter injured and both McKenzie and the woman’s daughter hospitalized.
According to authorities, the shooting took place on the evening of March 26 at a residence on West Hallandale Beach Blvd. Responding officers discovered six individuals inside the residence, with the woman and three of her sons tragically losing their lives. McKenzie was found at the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, while the woman’s daughter was also found with gunshot wounds.
Reports indicate that the woman, identified as Julie Cruz, and McKenzie shared two deceased sons, Nova and Emery McKenzie. The woman’s other deceased son, Xion Solomon, and surviving daughter, Phiinyx Solomon, have a different father. The investigation into the motive behind the shooting is still ongoing as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to the tragic incident.
The Pembroke Park Police Department handed the case over to the Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit for further investigation. Emergency responders from Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue were swift to the scene, transporting McKenzie and the woman’s injured daughter to nearby hospitals for urgent medical treatment.
The community remains in shock as details continue to emerge about the devastating mass shooting that claimed the lives of a mother and her three children. The tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the senseless violence that can impact families and communities in an instant. Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward as they work to bring closure to the grieving loved ones left behind in the wake of this horrific tragedy.