The Liberty City community is in mourning after beloved restaurateur and activist Dwight C. Wells was shot and killed Friday night outside his business, Winning and Won Turkey Legs, at 5090 NW 17th Ave.<\/p>\n
Wells, 40, was best known as the founder of \u201cBikes Up, Guns Down,\u201d a movement that encouraged young people to trade violence for unity through organized biking events. Friends and family said his death is a devastating loss for the neighborhood he dedicated his life to uplifting.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe decided to sacrifice his life and be right here in a community that he was raised in and give back to his community to build it up,\u201d said his brother, Quinton Wells, speaking to CBS News Miami.<\/p>\n
According to the City of Miami Police, Wells was playing dominoes with two others outside his restaurant around 9:20 p.m. Friday when a gunman approached and opened fire. The suspect fled the scene on foot. Wells was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he died from his injuries.<\/p>\n
His mother, Mary Brown, said she is struggling to understand the senseless act. \u201cWhat\u2019s going through my mind is, \u2018Why? Why did you shoot my son?\u2019 We know nothing right now,\u201d she told NBC6.<\/p>\n
Wells\u2019 story was one of redemption and transformation. After serving time in prison for crimes committed when he was a teenager, he rebuilt his life and became an outspoken advocate against violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need more turnaround stories like this because our kids need to see that no matter what your past was, you could always have a brighter future,\u201d community activist Tawana Aikens told CBS News Miami.<\/p>\n
Wells founded several community organizations, including Miami Ride Life, Saving Our Queens, and both \u201cBikes Up, Guns Down\u201d and \u201cWheels Up, Guns Down.\u201d Through them, he aimed to give young people positive outlets and promote nonviolence.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the father figure for so many different kids with \u2018Bikes Up, Guns Down,\u2019\u201d Quinton Wells said. \u201cSo many kids came to my brother for advice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the weekend, dozens of bikers and residents gathered at his restaurant to honor his memory. They chanted his slogan \u2014 \u201cBikes up, guns down\u201d \u2014 and created a memorial of flowers, candles, and balloons. A mobile billboard displayed photos and videos of the man they called \u201cScreamer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wells\u2019 mother said she takes comfort in her faith. \u201cMy son was a pillar for this community. He would always give someone the shirt off his back,\u201d Brown said. \u201cI miss him, but he is with the Lord and I will see him in Heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n
Artist David Anasagasti, known as \u201cAhol Sniffs Glue,\u201d painted a mural of Wells at his restaurant, and local pastors often visited his business, which had recently gained popularity on social media for its Southern-style turkey legs.<\/p>\n
His aunt, Suzette Hester, said the family is heartbroken. \u201cMy nephew did amazing stuff for the community,\u201d she said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t deserve this!\u201d<\/p>\n
As the investigation continues, Miami Police are urging anyone with information to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477). Tipsters can remain anonymous.<\/p>\n
Brown had a message for her son\u2019s killer, according to WPLG Local 10: \u201cYou shot a man of God. You can run, but you can\u2019t hide. I am not worried a bit because God knows what to do. I do hope that I will be here to give you a hug, and welcome you to jail.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Liberty City community is in mourning after beloved restaurateur and activist Dwight C. Wells was shot and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4824,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[5356,5339,5360,5347,5338,5344,5361,5358,225,227,226,5349,5362,5340,5353,5342,5359,5345,5354,5350,5355,5352,5351,5348,5346,5357,5343,5341],"class_list":["post-4823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hialeah","tag-ahol-sniffs-glue-liberty-city-mural","tag-bikes-up-guns-down-founder-killed","tag-black-male-mentorship-miami-programs","tag-david-anasagasti-mural-dwight-wells","tag-dwight-c-wells-liberty-city-shooting","tag-dwight-wells-vigil-liberty-city","tag-faith-and-healing-after-community-loss","tag-gun-violence-in-liberty-city-2025","tag-hialeah","tag-hialeah-headlines","tag-hialeah-news","tag-jackson-memorial-hospital-shooting-victim","tag-legacy-of-dwight-wells-miami-activist","tag-liberty-city-activist-shot-outside-restaurant","tag-mary-brown-statement-on-sons-death","tag-miami-anti-violence-leader-dwight-wells","tag-miami-community-leaders-call-for-justice","tag-miami-community-mourns-dwight-wells","tag-miami-dominoes-shooting-investigation","tag-miami-ride-life-founder-killed","tag-miami-dade-crime-stoppers-dwight-wells","tag-quinton-wells-tribute-to-brother","tag-saving-our-queens-miami-organization","tag-screamer-dwight-wells-community-tribute","tag-southern-style-turkey-leg-restaurant-miami","tag-tawana-aikens-on-youth-redemption","tag-wheels-up-guns-down-memorial-ride","tag-winning-and-won-turkey-legs-shooting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4823"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4823\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}