MIAMI, FLORIDA – The fatal shooting outside a Chase Bank in West Kendall has left the community in shock as details emerge about the tragic incident. Police have identified the gunman as 41-year-old Michael Andres Pineda Lozano, who shot and killed a woman, Odalys Bancroft, 43, and her 4-year-old son before turning the gun on himself.
Bancroft, a kind-hearted and empathetic woman, was the director of regulatory affairs at Jackson Health System. She had been with the hospital system since 2015, starting as a clinical staff nurse and working her way up to leadership roles at Holtz Children’s Hospital. Her son, Theodore Couto, known as Teddy, recently graduated from PreK-4 and would have turned five next month.
According to Miami-Dade Police, Bancroft and her son were in a minivan at the bank’s ATM when Lozano pulled up in an SUV and opened fire, fatally shooting both of them before taking his own life. It was revealed that Lozano was Bancroft’s ex-boyfriend, and while there were concerns about him, nothing indicated the tragic turn of events that occurred.
The family of Bancroft and Teddy are devastated, and her brother, Michael Trujillo, expressed disbelief at the senseless act of violence. A video of the incident, obtained by NBC6, captured the chaos at the scene, with police trying to console Teddy’s father, who was visibly distraught. The community has come together to show support, with a GoFundMe page created to assist Bancroft and Teddy’s family in this challenging time.
The tragic incident has left the community reeling, with many struggling to comprehend the senseless violence that claimed the lives of a mother and her young child. As investigations continue, loved ones and neighbors are left to mourn the loss of two innocent lives caught in the crossfire of a domestic dispute turned deadly. The impact of this tragedy will be felt for years to come, as the community grapples with the aftermath of such a heartbreaking event.