Elder Cruz (Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation).
A Florida man was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly shot his cousin multiple times over an argument about a parking space, police in the Sunshine State say.
Elder Cruz, 51, stands accused of one count each of attempted felony murder causing injury while armed, grand theft involving a firearm, and discharging a firearm in a recreational or residential area, according to Miami-Dade County court records.
The shooting occurred directly east of Douglas Park and Coral Gables Hospital — near the Coconut Grove neighborhood.
The incident occurred late Saturday night, according to an arrest report obtained by Miami-based ABC affiliate WPLG.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting with a victim at a residence on Southwest 31st Place and arrived around 11 p.m. The victim was found suffering from four gunshot wounds, police reportedly said.
The man, identified only as Salinas in the report, was shot once in his right wrist and three times in his left thigh, according to law enforcement. Cruz, who is also the victim’s roommate, was still at the scene of the crime when police arrived.
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The two men had been arguing over a parking space, police reportedly said. The argument allegedly began when the victim asked Cruz to move his vehicle. The defendant is said to have declined — saying there was nowhere else to park and that he would leave the vehicle where it was.
Then the argument allegedly took something of a gendered turn.
Salinas, in Spanish, told Cruz, “he didn’t know why he was acting tough when his wife ran the house,” the police report reportedly reads.
The defendant is alleged to have responded to the presumed verbal attack on his masculinity by taking out a Glock 19 9 mm pistol and pointing it at the victim’s neck. Then he allegedly said, also in Spanish, something akin to: “Do you want to see what kind of man I am?”
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The victim, at this point, allegedly ceded to the man with the weapon, and pleaded: “Don’t do this, you’re going to kill me.”
Cruz then allegedly fired one shot — grazing his cousin’s wrist and prompting the victim to run, police say. As Salinas fled in the direction of his bedroom, three more shots were fired and connected with the victim’s thigh — detectives say each of the final three bullets produced entry and exit wounds.
Police also allege the gun used in the shooting was previously reported stolen in 2021.
The victim was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. The defendant was arrested at the scene.
Cruz is currently represented by counsel and is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Court records show that prosecutors moved for, and received pretrial detention. The defendant was also ordered not to contact the victim pending trial. The judge overseeing the case determined Cruz is not indigent — which likely means he will not be entitled to a public defender, at least not at this stage in the case.
Law&Crime repeatedly reached out to the Miami Police Department for additional details about this story but no response was immediately forthcoming at the time of publication.
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