Police say the same white van linked scenes from Miami Gardens to North Miami.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A man police say is linked to two fatal shootings in Miami-Dade County was arrested in Brevard County after investigators tracked a white van they believe connected multiple crime scenes, including a deadly shooting outside a Miami Gardens home, authorities said.
Miami Gardens police identified the suspect as Dennard Isaiah Barnes. Investigators say he knew all of the victims and that the violence unfolded within hours on Feb. 20, stretching from Miami-Dade to Florida’s Space Coast. The arrest has shifted the case from a search to a court process, with detectives now working to line up charges, secure witnesses and sort out what led up to the shootings.
Police say the first killing happened Friday evening in Miami Gardens, where officers were called to the 3500 block of Northwest 213th Street. At the scene, they found 45-year-old Gabriel Floyd Hubbert suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Family members said Hubbert was a father of six and a well-known church member who sang with his choir and mentored younger people in the community.
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators captured the sound of back-to-back gunshots just after 6 p.m. and showed a white van passing Hubbert’s home about three minutes before the shooting, according to reports shared by authorities and relatives. Joshua Hubbert, the victim’s brother, said the family was still trying to understand how the night turned deadly. “Everybody knew him as Brother Gabe,” he said, describing Hubbert as a helper and a mentor who was widely loved.
Detectives said Barnes fled the Miami Gardens area in a 2023 white Dodge Ram van. As the investigation moved quickly, Miami Gardens detectives learned that officers in North Miami were also working a shooting that night involving a similar vehicle. Police have not publicly released the name of the North Miami victim in available updates, and investigators have not said whether the North Miami shooting happened inside a home, on a street or in a business area. Miami Gardens police have described Barnes as a person of interest in the North Miami case while they prepare additional paperwork.
The case widened again the next day, when Miami Gardens detectives were contacted by investigators in Brevard County. Authorities said Cocoa police located the van and arrested Barnes in connection with a shooting there on Friday. Police in Miami-Dade said the Brevard County shooting happened hours after the Miami Gardens and North Miami incidents, suggesting a fast-moving series of confrontations rather than a single isolated act. Investigators have not released a public account of the Cocoa shooting location, the victim’s identity or the specific charge that first led to Barnes being booked.
Barnes was held without bond at the Brevard County jail as detectives in Miami-Dade prepared homicide-related charges, police said. Online jail records and police statements show the arrest occurred Feb. 21. Miami Gardens police said Barnes was being held in Brevard County on charges connected to the Miami-Dade homicides, but authorities have not yet released a complete list of counts, including whether prosecutors plan to pursue first-degree murder, second-degree murder or other homicide charges.
Investigators have also not said what evidence tied the white van to each scene beyond witness statements and surveillance footage. In homicide investigations, detectives often rely on a mix of video, license-plate information, phone data, interviews and forensic work, including shell casings and firearm analysis, to build a timeline. Police have not said whether the same gun was used in each shooting, whether a weapon was recovered during the arrest, or whether investigators are looking for additional suspects who may have helped Barnes travel between counties.
What police have said repeatedly is that the suspect and victims were connected. Miami Gardens police said Barnes was known by all the victims involved in the shootings. That detail has become central to how investigators are framing the case, pointing toward personal disputes rather than random attacks. Still, authorities have not publicly identified a motive, and they have not described any prior arguments or threats that may have led up to the violence. Detectives also have not said whether there were domestic ties, long-running feuds, business disputes or other relationships at the center of the case.
In Miami Gardens, the killing left neighbors rattled and family members grieving. Rodney Lewis, who knew Hubbert, described him as a steady presence and a guide for younger people. “He was like a father figure to me,” Lewis said. “Mentor, leader, a coach.” Relatives said Hubbert’s role in church was more than a weekly routine, and that music was part of his identity. They said he was the kind of person who showed up for others, and they struggled to grasp how quickly the night changed.
Investigators say the next steps will include formal charging decisions and court hearings in both regions. Miami Gardens police have said charges are pending in Miami Gardens and North Miami as detectives continue to gather information and coordinate with prosecutors. Authorities have not announced an arraignment date tied to Miami-Dade charges, and they have not released any public court filings detailing probable cause for the two Miami-Dade homicide cases.
For now, Barnes remains in custody in Brevard County while Miami-Dade detectives continue to work the homicide investigations, police said. Investigators are expected to provide additional updates as charges are filed and court dates are set.
Author note: Last updated February 25, 2026.