MIAMI (WSVN) - A South Florida man sacrificed his own life to protect his granddaughter after, police said, he confronted a burglar who had broken into her home.
City of Miami Police said they received a call on Thursday, at around 8:30 a.m., about a person who was shot at the Little Havana apartment, located at 753 SW 5th St.
“Our officers arrive and find a man approximately 60 years of age who was, indeed, shot,” said Miami Police Officer Michael Vega.
According to investigators, the victim’s granddaughter was alone at the apartment when she heard someone come inside.
“There was a young lady inside of the apartment by herself,” Vega said.
She then reached out to her mother about the possible intruder.
“She hears that someone was inside the apartment, so she reaches out to her mother and tells her, ‘Mom, I think there’s someone in here,'” Vega said.
The girl’s mother then called the girl’s grandfather, who lived just a few houses away. When the grandfather arrived at the apartment, police said, he saw the intruder, got into an altercation, and then the suspect shot him one time.
“He runs over, goes into the apartment, meets eye to eye with the offender,” Vega said. “They get into a scuffle, and the offender shoots at grandpa one time.”
Police said the grandfather was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in serious condition. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Witness Nate Chapman, who lives across the street from the apartment, said he heard the granddaughter.
“I heard the girl across the street screaming for help,” he said. “We called 911 and stood by the side.”
But Chapman said that what he saw was much worse.
“I run across the street, and then right over by the staircase there, it’s where her grandfather was shot in the stomach a couple of times. He was on his back, not moving,” he said.
Detectives said the shooter fled the scene and remains on the loose. They are attempting to determine why he broke into the apartment in the first place.
A woman who asked not to be identified or show her face on camera said she saw the subject run off after opening fire.
“We call 911, and we see the man that shot him running,” she said. “He had a ski mask, and he was wearing something on his face.”
The woman said she saw the victim’s granddaughter panicking.
“She’s very young. She’s, like, not a teenager,” she said.
Investigators blocked off parts of Southwest Fifth Street, Thursday afternoon, as they continue their investigation.
7News cameras showed loved ones at the home distraught as they try to piece together what happened, as well as a large bloodstain on the ground and markings on the front door of the apartment.
Cameras also captured Miami Police officers apparently patting down the people inside a home on Southwest Fourth Street, about a block north of the victims’ unit. Detectives did not confirm or deny whether this is related to the shooting.
Thursday night, the investigation appeared to ramp up, as crime scene investigators continue to go in and out of the home on Southwest Fourth Street. Neighbors told 7News that this where the grandfather lived, but police have not confirmed this information.
If you have any information on this shooting, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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