A man in Miami Beach was shot in the stomach by a man who first asked him for a dollar, according to multiple reports.
The 25-year-old victim was shot in the torso while sitting on the stoop of his apartment building July 21 at about 4:30 a.m., the Miami Herald reported. The suspected shooter allegedly walked by and asked the man for “un peso,” or one dollar. The victim remains in critical condition as of Tuesday.
When the victim reached for his wallet, the man pulled out a small black firearm from his waistband and said, “Give me everything,” according to the victim’s friend, who was at the scene of the crime. The suspect immediately grabbed the wallet, shot the victim and ran away, police told the Miami Herald.
The victim, who was visiting Miami Beach for a few months from Argentina, was taken to a local trauma center, where he remained Tuesday, according to the Miami Herald and CBS Miami News.
The man is in a medically-induced coma and the bullet did not exit his body, according to police. (RELATED: Miami Beach Declares State Of Emergency After Weekend Shootings)
“We thought in the last 24 hours he was going to die,” the victim’s father said. “Please have empathy for us … we need justice.”
The victim’s friend said that he did not recognize the shooter.
The Miami Beach Police Department released a community advisory with a description of the suspect July 25.
MBPD is seeking the public’s help with the investigation below. The incident occurred along the 1000 block of 8 Street. Detectives urge anyone with information to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at https://t.co/rYWIrW8nIR. pic.twitter.com/kjRORpqKDz
— Miami Beach Police (@MiamiBeachPD) July 26, 2022
The advisory described the man as a 28- to 32-year-old white/Hispanic male with a tattoo on the right side of his neck. They ask anyone who has information on the whereabouts of the suspect to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.