A weekend confrontation outside an apartment near the 500 block of Meridian Avenue in Miami Beach escalated from an argument to a single gunshot, ending with one man in handcuffs, according to police. Neighbors told officers they heard one round go off, and investigators say surveillance video and eyewitness accounts later pointed them to a suspect. No one was struck, but officers reported recovering evidence at the scene.
Jail records identify the suspect as 53-year-old Alexander Dejesus Reyes, who was arrested and is facing one count of attempted felony murder with a firearm, as reported by Local 10. Miami Beach police said officers responded Sunday to Reyes' apartment near the 500 block of Meridian Avenue after getting reports of shots fired. Detectives obtained a warrant related to the shooting and took Reyes into custody.
Confrontation and Video Evidence
According to police, the episode started when a man walking home saw Reyes arguing with a homeless woman and told him to stop. A witness told detectives that Reyes later came back holding a gun, taunted the man in Spanish with the phrase "You don't have the balls to shoot me," and then a shot was fired, according to Local 10. Officers reviewed property surveillance video that investigators say backed up parts of the account and lined up with witness statements.
Evidence, Medical Transport and Custody
Investigators reported finding a spent 9mm casing and a projectile at the scene, and say Reyes later admitted to firing a single round. Miami Beach Fire Rescue transported Reyes to Mount Sinai Medical Center for medical issues that included high blood pressure, and authorities said there were no injuries. Jail records list Reyes at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with bond status noted as "to be set," according to Miami-Dade Corrections.
Charge and Legal Exposure
Reyes is charged with attempted felony murder with a firearm, which is classified as a first-degree felony under state law (see Fla. Stat. §782.051) and can carry a potential prison term of up to life, depending on the circumstances. Florida sentencing law also allows for reclassification and mandatory minimum sentences when a firearm is possessed or discharged during certain felonies, as outlined in state statute (see Fla. Stat. §775.087).
Miami Beach police have not released a motive and are asking anyone with photos or video of the incident to contact detectives as the investigation continues. Reyes remains in county custody while the case moves through the court system.
