The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office has been searching for over two weeks for a man who set fire to a gas pump at a gas station in the southwestern part of the county while carrying a sign with a political message against the U.S. embargo on Cuba, according to images shared by the profile Only in Dade on Instagram.
What the cameras show
The incident occurred on August 13 at 2:10 in the morning at the Chevron located at 8698 SW 40th Street (Bird Road) and 87th Avenue.
The individual arrived with a bag and a cardboard sign that read -according to the cited source- “The lives of Cubans matter, end the embargo.”
The man placed the bag containing a bottle on pump number two, set it on fire, and ran away to the south along 87th Avenue.
The images, also reported by Univision, show a man wearing a dark hoodie, dark pants, and gloves.
The most striking detail: a white bracelet with black stripes on the left arm, which authorities consider a key clue.
WSVN clarified that the suspect briefly fell to the ground before continuing to flee, suggesting possible burns.
A high-risk act
The number two fuel pump was located directly over the underground fuel tanks of a 24-hour gas station, on a stretch of Bird Road with constant traffic at any hour of the night.
Only in Dade highlighted the employees' reaction: they grabbed fire extinguishers and attacked the flames before the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived. No one was injured.
"That's not luck; it's two people choosing to run towards the thing that everyone is fleeing from." praised the mentioned source regarding the employees' reaction.
Research and How to Help
The case is in the hands of the Organized Crimes Office, Economic Crimes Section of the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, under the coordination of Agent G. Roa.
Fifteen days after the incident, the arson detectives still have no names. "Someone in Dade knows that bracelet," noted Only in Dade.
Authorities are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect to contact Crime Stoppers, where tips could be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
Polarization on social media
The images generated a strong reaction on social media, with comments reflecting the political division in Miami-Dade regarding the embargo.
Most condemned the act as dangerous and irresponsible, and several users suggested looking for someone with recent burn injuries in nearby hospitals.
"Look for someone with facial burns in the nearby hospitals and there you have it," wrote a user.
Another person remarked, "He is definitely not Cuban. Cubans know what is happening in Cuba."
Some commentators linked the event to the Cuban regime.
The political context of the embargo
The incident occurred during a time of high tension regarding the sanctions on Cuba.
In July, the UN approved the opening of an urgent debate on the embargo with 136 votes in favor, although this vote does not change Washington's policy.
On August 20 —a week after the incident— President Donald Trump signed the annual extension of the Trading with the Enemy Act applied to Cuba, extending the legal framework of the embargo until September 14, 2027.
The Cuban-American community, which accounts for nearly 36% of the population of Miami-Dade, is deeply divided: one segment views the embargo as a legitimate tool of pressure on the dictatorship; another prioritizes humanitarian relief and criticizes a policy that has lasted six decades without producing a regime change.
As of the closing of this note, there is no additional information about the case.
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