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A 18-year-old Cuban man was arrested in the city of Hialeah on charges of second-degree attempted murder, following a shooting that occurred in the early hours of January 11th.
The suspect, identified as Jason Alejandro Rodríguez, also faces two charges for throwing or discharging a deadly object, after allegedly firing shots at a vehicle carrying two women.
What was initially reported as an act of vandalism later developed into a high-profile criminal case, according to local press.
An act of provocation that escalated dangerously
The events unfolded around 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, when the Hialeah Police received an alert from Mount Sinai Hospital about a woman who had been shot.
The victim, identified as "Peña," had an injury to the arm and was interviewed by the officers at the medical center.
According to his testimony, the shot came from the ex-boyfriend of his companion, who was driving the vehicle.
Both women had thrown eggs at Rodríguez's house moments before the shooting.
The other person involved, "Córdova," confirmed this version in an independent sworn statement recorded on video.
It was a confrontation with personal undertones, as Rodríguez had reportedly had a previous romantic relationship with Córdova.
However, the provocation—which involved throwing eggs and stones at the house—was met with armed violence.
The defendant's version: An alleged act of self-defense
Jason Alejandro Rodríguez was located by agents shortly after the incident.
In a voluntary statement made after the reading of his rights, Miranda, the young man, claimed that he was startled by the sounds of objects being thrown at his vehicle.
He said he was struck in the chest and even believed he saw a "green laser" aimed at him, which led him to grab a firearm and shoot at the departing car.
Rodríguez claimed to have acted in self-defense after feeling threatened.
According to him, the use of the weapon was an instinctive reaction to what he perceived as a potential armed aggression.
However, at that moment, the police lacked independent witnesses or recordings that could confirm or refute their account.
For that reason, all parties involved were initially released while the investigation was ongoing.
The video evidence contradicts the attacker's version
The direction of the case changed dramatically when detectives from the Hialeah Police Department obtained surveillance videos from the area where the events took place.
The recordings contradicted Rodríguez's version. According to the visual evidence:
-Rodríguez was not hit with eggs or stones.
- She left her house after these objects had already been thrown.
The women's vehicle was already leaving the scene when the accused opened fire.
-There are no signs of any green laser pointing at him.
The cameras captured him, also using the light from his cellphone to collect what appear to be spent shell casings after the shooting, before returning to his residence.
For the researchers, these elements were conclusive.
Rodríguez's actions cannot be considered self-defense, as there was no real or imminent threat against him or others at the time of the shooting.
According to the report, “the video evidence shows that the defendant provided an inaccurate statement in an attempt to justify the shooting.”
Based on the findings, Jason Alejandro Rodríguez appeared on Monday, January 12, at the Hialeah Police Department, where he was formally arrested and transported to the county's correctional system.
The prosecution has charged him with two counts of attempted second-degree murder and two counts of shooting a deadly weapon.
So far, no bail has been set for the young Cuban, who faces potentially severe penalties under Florida's criminal law.
The police have been emphatic in their message to the public: “No type of vandalism justifies the use of lethal force, especially when there is no immediate threat,” a spokesperson warned.
"Taking justice into one's own hands is not only illegal, but it can also have tragic consequences," he added.
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