A newly surfaced surveillance video is putting an October shooting back in the spotlight, showing a man sprinting up to a customer and opening fire outside Republica Food & Lounge in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood. The Oct. 5 attack left a man wounded, and Miami police later identified the alleged gunman as 36-year-old Francisco Alexis de Leon of Miramar. He faces attempted murder charges and, as of Thursday, is under house arrest with his next court hearing set for May 7, 2026.
Surveillance video captures the ambush
The footage shows a man stepping out of a parked vehicle, then running straight toward another person near the restaurant before firing multiple shots as patrons and bystanders dive for cover. According to Local 10, the wounded man is seen limping away in the clip the station obtained Thursday.
Cops say shooting went down Oct. 5
Miami police say the shooting happened Oct. 5 just before 11 a.m. outside Republica Food & Lounge near Northwest 36th Street and 13th Avenue, and that witnesses rushed the injured man to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, as reported by WSVN. Officers locked down the area, set up a crime scene and started working through surveillance clips and witness statements in the days that followed.
Facial recognition points investigators to suspect
Detectives later identified the suspect as Francisco Alexis de Leon, 36, of Miramar. Authorities say a facial-recognition search and a photo lineup tied him both to the white Toyota seen in surveillance and to the shooting, according to reporting by Miramar man charged. Investigators say he surrendered to police and was booked on attempted murder and related firearms counts.
Same restaurant, another shooting weeks later
Republica Food & Lounge became a crime scene again on Dec. 14, when police say a security guard opened fire on a patron. That guard was later arrested and charged with attempted murder, according to Local 10. The back-to-back incidents have neighbors and regulars worried that a popular hangout is turning into a repeat flashpoint for violence.
What happens next
De Leon remains under criminal charge and is slated to return to court on May 7 while investigators review the newly released video along with other evidence. Anyone with information is asked to contact Miami police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS, per initial reporting by WSVN.
