Early Sunday morning in Miami-Dade, a collision on Interstate 75 set off a sequence of events that culminated in a homeowner shooting a trespasser, authorities said. The trespasser, identified as 34-year-old Whitney Liberal, allegedly fled a rollover crash, made his way onto a private property, and was subsequently shot by the property owner. According to NBC Miami, the homeowner reported that he found Liberal in his backyard and fired two shots when Liberal failed to show his hands and comply with orders to leave.
Details surrounding the incident emerged from an arrest document indicating that the property owner, awakened by his dog's barking, saw his ladder moved and discovered Liberal against a tall wall in his yard bordering I-75. Fearing for his family's safety, the homeowner from his second-story balcony shot Liberal twice, "It’s the first time in 30 years, and thankfully it wasn’t robbing, it was him escaping from something he did before," he stated to NBC Miami.
Neighbors in the 18000 block of Northwest 91st Court reported chaos in the early hours of the morning, with sounds of gunfire echoing through the area. "We heard pop, pop, pop, pop, and after that, then one last shot," neighbor Ofelia Martinez recounted to Local 10 News. Following the shooting, Liberal was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital for his injuries and faces several charges. Jail records revealed accusations including possession of controlled substances, and trespassing.
As for the evidence found on Liberal, police located cash, marijuana, and pills presumed to be ecstasy. In admitting to possessing these items, Liberal has been charged with multiple offenses, he told police he was attempting to contact his girlfriend for a pickup after injuring his foot in the initial car accident. "It was shocking because nothing like that ever happens in this community," Martinez added, illustrating the disbelief among the residents at the violent turn of an average morning. The anxious homeowner and his family are now trying to recover from the unwelcome disturbance and resume their lives prior to the intrusion, as he told Local 10 News.
