A Christmas Day family brunch at Red Rooster in Overtown spilled into the parking lot around 3 p.m., where police say a mother drew a handgun and shot her adult son in the thigh after accusing him of being disrespectful toward her and relatives.
Investigators identified the woman as Roseita Lavette Smith, 50, of Fort Lauderdale. Officers and firefighters arrived at 920 NW Second Ave. to find the man bleeding from his left thigh and conscious. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital and listed in stable condition. Detectives say Smith left the scene but was tracked down later and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center just after midnight Friday. She faces an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge and is being held without bond pending a first appearance in Miami-Dade court, according to booking information. The arrest capped a holiday incident that drew attention across South Florida for its setting, timing and allegation that a son’s “disrespect” preceded the gunfire.
Police reports state the argument began inside the restaurant during brunch with family members. Staff and patrons told officers they saw a dispute that continued outside, where Smith and her son got into her vehicle. The man exited first. Smith followed, pulled a firearm and fired once, striking his thigh, according to the report. Officers arriving within minutes found shell casing evidence in the lot and cordoned off a stretch of spaces along the northwest corner of the property. “It was calm and then suddenly everyone was moving,” said a diner who asked not to be named, describing patrons ducking between cars as sirens approached. Miami Fire Rescue stabilized the victim at the scene before transport.
After the shooting, detectives say Smith drove away from Overtown. Miami police’s Domestic Violence Felony Apprehension Team located and arrested her later the same day. In a recorded statement, Smith told detectives she fired in self-defense because her son threatened to assault her when he refused to get out of her vehicle. She cited past behavior as the basis for fearing for her safety, according to the report. At the hospital, the wounded man identified Smith as the shooter. Police did not immediately release the son’s age or name, and they did not describe the handgun’s make, caliber or whether it was legally owned. No other injuries were reported.
Authorities said the single round entered the victim’s left thigh; doctors at Jackson Memorial classified his condition as stable by evening. Detectives collected surveillance video from cameras covering the restaurant’s entry and lot and canvassed nearby businesses for additional angles. Investigators are working to document the timeline inside the restaurant, the moment the pair got into the vehicle and the seconds leading to the shot. Officers photographed the parking spaces, measured distances to doorways and recovered a casing as evidence. The report did not indicate that any rounds struck parked vehicles or buildings.
The incident unfolded at Red Rooster Overtown, a high-profile dining room known for live music and holiday seatings. The restaurant remained closed for a period as police taped off the lot and employees directed guests out a side exit. Witnesses described a crowded holiday service that had turned festive earlier in the afternoon with families sharing desserts. By midafternoon, uniformed officers were guiding patrons away from a cluster of vehicles while detectives spoke with staff and gathered receipts to help fix the time the group arrived and left. A few diners returned later for vehicles after officers released the scene.
As details spread, the case reverberated beyond the neighborhood. Social posts amplified the arrest photo and fragments from the report, including the “disrespectful” remark that appeared to spark the dispute. Police emphasized that the motive, while described in statements, does not change the elements of the charge, which hinge on whether the shooting meets Florida’s standards for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and whether a claim of self-defense can be supported. Prosecutors will review surveillance, statements and physical evidence to decide whether to file the charge as presented by police or amend it. No additional counts were announced as of the weekend.
Florida’s self-defense framework allows the use of deadly force when a person reasonably believes such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. In parking-lot disputes and domestic cases, that question often turns on what cameras saw and what witnesses heard in the seconds before a shot. Police have not released a full list of witness statements or any 911 audio. Officials did not indicate whether officers recovered the gun at the time of arrest or from a later search. They also did not say whether Smith held a valid concealed weapon license or if prior calls for service involved the pair.
Records show Smith was taken to the county jail just after midnight on Friday and held without bond pending court review. A routine first appearance typically occurs within 24 hours of booking, where a judge hears a summary of facts and defense arguments about release conditions. In aggravated battery cases involving family members, judges can impose no-contact orders and require surrender of firearms as conditions of any release. As of press time, officials had not posted a court calendar entry with a next hearing date, and attorneys for Smith were not listed in jail records. Prosecutors generally file formal charges within weeks after reviewing police reports and evidence.
Neighbors and diners described the atmosphere along Northwest Second Avenue as crowded but orderly once police arrived. A man waiting for a rideshare said officers quickly taped off spaces facing the main entrance and redirected traffic onto side streets. By early evening, crews had cleared the lot for limited access, and the restaurant coordinated with police to reunite guests with vehicles. The city’s holiday patrol schedule kept additional units in the corridor as nightlife ramped up. Outside the restaurant, a few people left small bouquets near a planter before managers removed the tape and reopened for dinner service the following day.
The investigation remains open. Detectives are expected to complete interviews with family members who attended the brunch and to compare their accounts with surveillance angles from inside and outside the restaurant. Hospital staff will provide a medical summary of the victim’s injury for the case file. Police said any future updates would come after prosecutors decide on formal charges and the court sets a hearing schedule. The victim’s condition was described as stable late Friday, and officials did not release plans for his discharge.
Author note: Last updated December 28, 2025.