A Miami Beach man is behind bars after, police say, he chased his fleeing roommate and shot at him several times on the street.
Ricardo Miguel Valdivia, 26, appeared in court on Monday morning, with Miami-Dade Bond Court Judge Mindy Glazer granting prosecutors’ request to hold him without bond. The judge also ordered Valdivia to stay away from the victim.
Valdivia, who is facing an attempted first-degree murder charge, broke down in tears during his bond court appearance.
Ricardo Miguel Valdivia appears in bond court on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. Miami-Dade Bond Court feed
On Saturday afternoon, the victim flagged down a police officer at the Marathon Gas Station at 875 71st St. in Miami Beach. He said Valdivia shot at him while he was inside his vehicle at 71st Street and Bonita Drive, according to an arrest report.
The man said Valdivia was his roommate of six years — and that he was “not being himself” since Thursday, the report states.
On the day of the shooting, the victim said he picked up Valdivia from his job after he was told to go back home because he was “not ready to return to work.” The victim said he didn’t enter their Bonita Drive apartment because he didn’t feel safe because of Valdivia’s increasingly erratic behavior.
The victim said he called Valdivia to tell him to go to the hospital, and Valdivia asked his roommate to take him. The victim told police he knew Valdivia had firearms, so he instructed him to leave all his weapons in the apartment, according to the report.
When the victim arrived to pick up Valdivia, he noticed a bulge in Valdivia’s pocket, the report says. Fearing for his life, he attempted to flee, but Valdivia approached the car, whipped out his firearm and pointed it at him.
The victim started to drive toward 71st Street, and Valdivia ran after him and fired his gun multiple times, hitting the rear window of the car, according to the report. It’s unclear if the victim was struck by any of the bullets.
When interviewed by police, the victim said Valdivia’s recent behavior has been alarming — and Valdivia told him “they are out there looking for us,” according to the report. The victim said he doesn’t usually carry his firearm on him but did because he was on edge due to Valdivia’s behavior.
The report doesn’t mention whether the victim fired his weapon.
Following the shooting, Valdivia was detained at the apartment. Officers found Taurus .9 mm handgun — with a round inside the chamber — in Valdivia’s pocket, the report states. They also located an unloaded firearm in Valdivia’s bookbag.
Miami Herald
Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.