An 81-year-old Hialeah man has been identified as the shooter accused of killing the owner of the machinery shop where he worked after he was told to stop sleeping at the business, according to police.
Medley Police said officers on Wednesday responded to a shooting call at Metro Express, a business in the area of Northwest 109th Street and Northwest South River Drive.
According to authorities, weeks before the shooting, the victim had learned that 81-year-old Jose Antonio Lopez was sleeping at the shop without permission, and he asked him not to do so again.
On Wednesday at around 7:28 a.m., the victim arrived at the business, where Lopez and a witness were sitting. The victim realized Lopez was still sleeping there and demanded that he leave, an arrest report states.
“Without argument, the defendant walked over to a shelf located approximately 3 feet away and retrieved a .40 caliber firearm,” police said. Then Lopez allegedly cursed at the owner of the shop and shot him in the chest.
The victim, who has not been identified by name, tried to walk away before collapsing at the entrance of the repair shop, the report details. He was rushed by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a landing zone before being flown to a hospital, but did not survive.
While the witness called 911, Lopez walked outside to smoke a cigarette and then “began to ride a tricycle around the parking lot until units arrived.”
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Medley police confirmed that shots were fired in the area of Northwest 109th Street and Northwest South River Drive.
According to police, when officers arrived, Lopez “spontaneously stated, ‘I did it.'” He was arrested and told police that the “gun was next to the microwave.”
Authorities said they searched the property and found a 9 mm firearm, a .40 caliber firearm, a spent casing, and a projectile.
At some point, Lopez complained of chest pains and was taken to the hospital. After that, he was discharged and taken to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, where he allegedly “admitted to shooting the victim,” saying he was “‘fed up’ and ‘had enough’ of the victim insulting him and complaining.”
Lopez is facing a charge of second-degree murder and taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.