He was injured for wishing him "Merry Christmas": Cuban arrested on a bus in Miami

A 73-year-old Cuban, identified as Reynaldo Ortega and described as homeless in police records, was arrested after stabbing a man aboard a Miami-Dade bus on Christmas afternoon.

The data collected from the official Miami-Dade Court website indicates that the accused faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and remains detained at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He has pleaded not guilty.

According to the police report, the incident occurred this Thursday around 12:20 p.m. on a bus (No. 21131) near SW 2nd Avenue and SW 2nd Street, in downtown Miami.

The victim got into the vehicle and was chatting with a friend when Ortega intervened. The man said to him, “Merry Christmas” and tried to shake his hand, but Ortega pushed him away “with a swipe” and started a discussion before pulling out a knife, the document states.

The driver stopped the trip and separated the two: Ortega remained in the front while the other man walked to the back, calling 911.

However, when the victim returned to the front to ask the driver to explain what had happened to the 911 operator, a new struggle broke out.

According to the report, Ortega chased him down and stabbed him with a knife, causing an injury to the left shoulder area.

The victim managed to get off the bus and was transported by Miami firefighters to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she received stitches.

When the police arrived, Ortega was the only person remaining on the bus. The officers arrested him and, during the search, found a knife in his possession.

The scene was photographed and the weapon was recovered as evidence, according to the report.

Ortega told the agents that he stabbed the victim because the man "was being aggressive" toward him.

After the arrest, authorities also determined that Ortega had an outstanding arrest warrant for driving with a suspended license.

The report includes interviews with the bus driver and a passenger, as well as a review of security cameras inside the vehicle.

According to the lead detective, the images show the physical altercation and that the suspect chased the victim armed with a knife, despite having the option not to approach.