A violent episode of aggression inside a restaurant in northwest Miami-Dade has raised alarms about the growing insecurity in commercial areas marked by the presence of homeless individuals.
The incident, captured by a surveillance camera, shows a woman repeatedly stabbing another with a pair of scissors, amid customers who, in shock, try to move away from the danger.
The attacker has been identified as Damaris Rodríguez, 22 years old, while the identity of the victim has not been disclosed.
So far, the nationality of the attacker has not been revealed; she is a young woman who is homeless and already faced previous charges for drug-related offenses and burglary.
A brutal attack in broad daylight
The incident occurred in the afternoon on Wednesday at the Fritanga Pinolandia restaurant, a popular Nicaraguan eatery located at Northwest 119th Street and 11th Avenue.
According to the authorities of Miami-Dade County, it all started when Rodríguez approached the victim to ask for money. After being refused, he followed her inside the restaurant, where he unleashed the aggression.
The surveillance video starkly depicts the sequence of events. Both women struggle inside the establishment until Rodríguez pulls out what appears to be a pair of scissors and violently attacks the other woman, who tries unsuccessfully to defend herself.
The restaurant manager, Bernardo Ruiz, reported that the victim was stabbed at least four times, primarily in the head and upper limbs.
"They were fighting in the parking lot, and one of them came into the business fleeing from the other. The other person attacked her with scissors four times in the head," Ruiz explained.
The victim was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she is in stable condition.
Terror among customers and neighborhood complaints
The images released by the media show the chaos unleashed by the attack.
Some diners were frozen in place, others tried to distance themselves from the area of conflict, and a mother even dragged her daughter out of the venue to protect her.
"All the customers and all of us were terrified because you see a person with scissors, and they started hitting them on the head," Ruiz said in statements to Telemundo 51.
Ruiz also took the opportunity to denounce the lack of police attention and the deterioration of security in the area.
According to his testimony, these types of situations are common in the area.
"This is an everyday problem, every single day," he lamented.
"Businesses depend on customers, but customers are scared because of these people who are always fighting, asking for money, and causing disturbances in the parking lots of businesses."
The authorities cordoned off the restaurant shortly after the incident.
Detectives from the General Investigations Unit of the Northside district were in charge of collecting evidence, with the surveillance video being a key piece of evidence in the investigation.
The history of the aggressor and doubts about her mental health
Damaris Rodríguez was arrested a few blocks from the restaurant shortly after the incident and faces several charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use, and burglary.
During her appearance before the bail court, concerns arose regarding her mental health.
Rodríguez did not respond to the judge and displayed erratic behavior.
“Your Honor, I don't think she understands; she is not very coherent,” commented a representative of the court. The possibility of transferring her to a hospital for a medical evaluation is being considered.
The assailant was already out on bail at the time of the attack, related to other charges linked to drug use.
The case has reignited the debate on the homelessness crisis in Miami and the authorities' response to at-risk situations in public spaces.
Ruiz, the restaurant manager, raised his voice in desperation: "Call the police and they come an hour later. We hope the police can help us because this is affecting our business."
"Please, help me. The problem we have with the homeless in this city has become overwhelming. We can't tolerate the homeless any longer," he exclaimed in front of the cameras from Telemundo.
While the victim is recovering in the hospital, the aggressor will have to return to court on December 1.
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