CRIME

King Day parade turns violent when 8 shot in Miami

Associated Press
Published | Updated

People react after several were injured in a shooting at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park in Miami-Dade, Fla., Monday, Jan. 16, 2017. The Miami Herald reports that hundreds of people had gathered in the park after the annual MLK Day parade. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald via AP) (The Associated Press)

Miami-Dade police respond after several were injured in a shooting at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park in Miami-Dade, Fla., Monday, Jan. 16, 2017. The Miami Herald reports that hundreds of people had gathered in the park after the annual MLK Day parade. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald via AP) (The Associated Press)

Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue paramedics lift a woman after she lost consciousness after several were injured in a shooting at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park in Miami-Dade, Fla., Monday, Jan. 16, 2017. The Miami Herald reports that hundreds of people had gathered in the park after the annual MLK Day parade. (Carl Juste/Miami Herald via AP) (The Associated Press)

A national holiday that was supposed to be about nonviolence erupted into mayhem in Miami when police say eight people were wounded in a shooting at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park.

Police say they are not sure what started the shooting on Monday afternoon. Hundreds of people had gathered in the park after the annual MLK Day parade in the Liberty City neighborhood. People scattered in all directions when they heard the gunfire.

The wounded ranged in age from 11 to 30. Miami-Dade Detective Daniel Ferrin says two suspects were being questioned.

The Miami Herald (http://hrld.us/2ji9upu) reports that the parade has been a tradition since the 1970s. People gather on the streets to barbecue, listen to music show and celebrate the slain civil rights leader.