A man accused of trying to fatally shoot a man in Miami Beach was arrested on Tuesday, records showed.
Alexander Reyes, 53, was charged with felony attempted murder with a firearm.
According to authorities, on Sunday, Miami Beach Police arrived at 530 Meridian Avenue after receiving reports of shots that were fired. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Reyes, who told them that he fired one shot at another man who pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him.
An arrest report said that officers were able to find and detain the other man, identified as Wilber Sanchez-Martinez, who Reyes said threatened him.
A witness who was eating Pizza with Reyes at 530 Meridian told officers that a homeless woman came up to them, started yelling, and they got into an argument with Reyes, the report said.
As the two started arguing, the report said, the witness told officers that Sanchez-Martinez came up to Reyes, pulled out a gun from his waist area, pointed it at Reyes, and told him he was going to kill him. Reyes, the witness said, told Sanchez-Martinez to shoot him, and then he walked back to his apartment to possibly get his gun.
When Reyes came back, the witness told him not to go looking for trouble, and Reyes told Sanchez-Martinez in Spanish, “You don’t have the [expletive] to shoot me. The witness then told officers that he heard a shot being fired, but wasn’t sure who did.
Detectives then spoke with Sanchez-Martinez, who said he was walking home when he heard Reyes yelling at the homeless woman and told him to stop, the report said. He said Reyes went to his apartment, came back, pointed his gun and fired at him.
The report said Sanchez-Martinez started running and saw officers coming towards him. He told officers that he never pulled out a lighter that looked like a firearm, but only when he ran away.
Reyes, the report said, offered a similar account as the witness, but told detectives that Sanchez-Martinez walked away when he told him he would kill him, and he continued to eat his pizza, but forgot his wallet and had his gun, and headed to his apartment to get it.
When he got back, Reyes said Sanchez-Martinez returned, pointed a gun at him and told him he was going to kill him, the report said.
Reyes told detectives that he pulled out his gun and fired one shot at Sanchez-Martinez, the report said. He then put his gun inside his mailbox.
During their investigation, the report said, a spent 9mm shell casing was found at the scene, as well as the gun-shaped lighter that Sanchez-Martinez said he had.
Sanchez-Martinez was arrested. He was not injured in the shooting.
After searching the mailbox where Reyes said he put his gun, detectives found a black Smith and Wesson MP 9mm, the report said.
Video at the property also corroborated what the witness told detectives, and it was determined that Reyes didn’t show any fear for his life when he confronted Sanchez-Martinez and shot him, the report said.
Reyes was then also arrested.