MIAMI (WSVN) - The family of a young man who, police said, was shot in Hialeah by his 66-year-old neighbor over a parking space is speaking out about the dangerous incident.
One of the victim’s sisters spoke with 7News on Thursday outside Jackson Memorial Hospital as her brother, 18-year-old Jose, continues to recover there.
“He’s very strong. He’s doing very good. He has a lot of pain, but he’s going to be OK,” said the sibling, who asked not to be identified.
According to Hialeah Police, 66-year-old Justo Jorge Arrate Rodriguez shot Jose over parking in swale in front of the suspect’s home along the 5100 block of East Eighth Lane, at around 7:15 p.m., Tuesday.
“It’s not even on his property; it’s out in the middle of the street,” said Hialeah Police Lt. Eddie Rodriguez.
Another of Jose’s sisters said Arrate Rodriguez began yelling at her about the parking.
“He was offending me, he was offending my parents, he was offending my brother, everyone,” said the other sister, who also did not want to be identified. “Once my brother hears that he was saying that to me, my brother comes up to him, and he’s like, ‘What’s your problem?'”
Detectives said the argument between Jose and Arrate Rodriguez escalated when the suspect pulled out a gun and shot the teen in the chest and arm.
“‘Boom,’ he started shooting,” said the second sister. “Once he goes to me, I started asking for help, and then he hid under a tree.”
“He was under a tree aiming at our house, like to shoot everybody else,” said the sister who spoke to 7News outside JMH. “My mom had to throw herself to the ground, my sister was hiding behind the back of a car. Everyone was hiding.”
The victim’s other sister said she quickly put her wounded brother in her car and took him to Hialeah Hospital as she covered the wound on his chest. From there, he was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center.
His family said the bullets pierced his lung and his arm, but he won’t be requiring surgery.
7News spoke to the victim’s grandmother, Antonia Ayllor, outside the hospital.
“Make him pay for what he did,” she said in Spanish.
Ayllor said she wants justice for her grandson.
Arrate Rodriguez has been charged with attempted murder. He remains locked up in jail with no bond.
The sister who spoke to 7News outside JMH said she doesn’t want to see the suspect out of jail.
“I really don’t want him to get out because it’s not fair. [My brother] didn’t deserve that. He didn’t do anything,” she said, “and for him to be out and knowing he could do that to somebody else and kill someone for such a stupid reason, yeah, I don’t think he should be out.”
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