Police in Miami Beach have arrested a man they say shot an architecture student after stealing $1 from him last month.
Ranier Figueroa, 25, was arrested Thursday in Miami Springs by Miami Beach Police detectives in linkage with the July 21 shooting.
The victim and his buddy were seated at the front steps of a highrise on the 1000 block of Eighth Street near Michigan Court when the perp approached them and started asking for a dollar, according to Miami Beach Police.
When they attempted to give the guy a dollar, he decided to pull out a laser-enhanced firearm and demanded all of it. He then gunned down the victim and stole $1 from him, along with the wallet of a friend, before fleeing.
The 25-year-old victim was placed in a medically induced coma and remains in stable condition at the hospital. His family says he is studying architecture in Argentina but moved to South Florida to take a job a few months back.
“We were able to arrest this dangerous man, provide a little bit of closure for his family,” said Ernesto Rodriguez, spokesperson with the Miami Beach Police Department.
Figueroa, of Hialeah, was nabbed at the Miami Springs Extended Stay America hotel, where officers shot and killed Jamie Robles, the 2nd suspect in an armed robbery that resulted in the murder of Miami-Dade Detective Cesar Echaverry.
According to Miami Beach Police, advanced technologies and public tips assisted them in apprehending Figueroa.
“This has been a busy week for law enforcement and I think the message to the criminals in our community is you will be located. You will be tracked down. You will be arrested,” Rodriguez said.
Figueroa was charged with armed robbery and attempted murder. He is being held in jail with no bond.
