MIAMI (WSVN) - A day after a fatal shooting on the Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami, questions remain unanswered after the shooting was caught on cellphone video.
The shooting happened at the start of the William M. Powell Bridge, just after 6 a.m., Wednesday.
7News cameras captured 41-year-old Kadel Piedrahita, the accused gunman, and his 17-year-old son leaving police headquarters later that night.
Sabino Jauregui, Piedrahita’s attorney, spoke to reporters Wednesday night and met with 7News Thursday.
“They’re under a lot of stress,” Jauregui said. “Oh, I know for a fact he was defending himself. He was definitely acting in self-defense.”
Jauregui added that before the confrontation, his client was there to help the riders, which included his son. He often records videos and uses his motorcycle to keep vehicles from getting close to the cyclists.
“If you see the video, he’s actually having a great time saying ‘Hi’ to the other cyclists,” Jauregui said. “The other cyclists are giving him the thumbs up when all of a sudden, the alleged victim starts this confrontation with my client.”
The alleged victim was 48-year-old Alexis Palencia.
In the video, Palencia could be seen pointing and saying something to Piedrahita before the motorcycle goes down along with the cell phone that was recording.
Not long after the motorcycle fell, other cellphone cameras captured a single gunshot.
Moments later, another cyclist photographed Piedrahita on the ground with Palencia.
Oris Palencia Serrano, Palencia’s brother, spoke to 7News over the phone from Cuba.
“To cover up the facts, he acts like he’s helping out my brother after the shooting,” he said. “This is clear first-degree pre-medidated murder. The videos speak for themselves. I know my brother’s voice very well. In the video, I heard the alleged shooter threatening my brother.”
The two men knew each other, and Piedrahita posted a rant to Facebook that was aimed at Palencia. In the video, Piedrahita threatened to split Palencia in half.
Jauregui said the two men were in a dispute over some business dealings but insists, in this case, his client was not the aggressor.
“It’s definitely a case of self-defense, and so far police see it that way as well,” Jauregui said. “That’s why he was released yesterday.”
7News has learned that Palencia came to Miami from Cuba 26 years ago.
Serrano said his brother was a good man, a father of two and a hard-working insurance agent. He also added that he has not been able to tell the news of his brother’s death to his 82-year-old mother.
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