A memorial made up of stuffed toys, flowers, and a small pair of boy's Nike sneakers grows outside of a Northwest Miami-Dade nail salon.
The business has been closed all weekend after a Friday night shooting that left a 10-year-old dead and his father injured.
The gunmen (pictured below) barged into Hong Kong Nails at 14832 Northwest 7th Avenue and fired shots after making away with cell phones and handbags, police said. Aaron Vu, died at the hospital from his injuries. His father, 42-year-old Hai Vu, is still recovering.
Family members said Aaron had just celebrated his 10th birthday at the beginning of the month.
"His mother asked him on his 10th birthday, 'what do you want, Aaron for your birthday?' and he said 'I just want to be a good kid mom, and maybe go to Target afterward,'" said Thai Phan, Aaron's great aunt.
According to Miami-Dade Police, as his parents, who own the Hong Kong nail salon, worked to make ends meet, a violent duo stormed into the business, guns first.
Police say they were trying to make a quick buck, and were able to take cash and cellphones.
The shooting didn't stop customers, strangers, and friends alike from stopping by the salon to pay their respects Sunday.
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Kara Sumerford, one of Aaron Vu's classmates is one of many children who stopped by the salon to mourn their friend. Aaron was a fifth grader at Northwest Christian Academy. Sumerford has been his classmate since second grade and asked her mother to take her to Hong Kong Nails.
"Just to say my last goodbyes," Sumerford said. "It could have happened to anyone."
Clients say the Vu family is well loved in the neighborhood.
"It's a shame that you take innocent people, hardworking people that come to work every day and because you want something you rob from them, killing them, injuring them," said one client who did not want to give her name.
What may be most shocking is the fact that the gunmen were already on their way out of the salon with the stolen property when they opened fire.
"Seems to me like they did get what they came for, so why they started shooting I couldn't begin to tell you," a Miami-Dade lieutenant said.
The child's mother, Lynn Vu says she's received hundreds of text messages from loyal customers and friends. Aaron's family is begging the community to do what's right.
"Please come forward. So that we can put these men away, so that Aaron won't be another violent victim that's swept under the rug and be forgotten," Phan said.
Family members are expected to make a public plea Monday to ask the community for help in finding the suspects.
Detectives are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS(8477). Anyone with information that leads to an arrest may be rewarded up to $3,000. Tips are anonymous.
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