MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have arrested a man accused of shooting another man in the mouth on the sand of Miami Beach.
The shooting took place along the 6300 block of Miami Beach near the Casablanca Hotel, just before 1 a.m., Wednesday. Officers said when they arrived on the scene, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the face behind the hotel.
The shooting began with a group of tourists on the beach, according to police.
“When they observed a Hispanic Black male subject wearing all black clothing, to include a black hoodie,” said Miami Beach Police spokesperson Ernesto Rodriguez. “He was walking on the beach, made eye contact with the victim in this case, and without any provocation, the subject fired one shot, which struck the victim in his face.”
According to the police report, everyone in the group ducked for cover once the shot was fired. The suspected shooter fled the area before officers and rescue personnel arrived.
The 20-year-old man was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in stable condition. Police said he was released from the hospital before noon.
“Thankfully, miraculously, this man, after suffering a gunshot wound, has been released from the hospital,” Rodriguez said.
Police said Rayner Javier Rosario-Guerrero was located along the 6800 block of Collins Avenue just after 12:30 p.m. and detained as a person of interest in the case. Hours later, they charged the 24-year-old with attempted murder and aggravated assault with a firearm.
“I saw the man on a bicycle, and I saw police pull up behind him and just take him to the ground, and a bunch of police came over,” said Crispin Quintana, a witness to Rosario-Guerrero’s detainment.
“I was facing that direction,” said Gia Picasso, who also witnessed the 24-year-old’s detainment. “Behind me, there’s a guy on the floor and getting arrested.”
According to the arrest report, officers identified Rosario-Guerrero as a suspect after they spotted a blue bag in the bushes around 200 feet from where the shooting happened.
Inside of the bag was the 24-year-old’s Florida ID card, “a paper receipt for the purchase of a SAR USA SAR9mm firearm”, “a box of federal 9mm ammunition” and “a magazine containing multiple live ammunition rounds,” police wrote.
Officers also wrote they found a bullet casing that matched the bullets found in the bag.
Police said Rosario-Guerrero confessed to shooting the man once he was in custody.
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