Cyclist Dead After Shooting On Rickenbacker Causeway
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A bicyclist who was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center after he was shot on the Rickenbacker Causeway has died, and now police are seeking answers.
Miami police Commander Freddie Cruz said the shooting happened around 6 a.m. when a group of cyclists exchanged words with a man on a motorcycle.
"Somewhere during that exchange of words, or shortly after, there was a gunshot fired and there was an individual that was shot," said Cruz.
The man on the motorcycle Facebook Live streamed from traffic as he passed a group of cyclists heading in the same direction toward Key Biscayne.
It appears on the Facebook page of Kadel Piedrahita. He says to the bicyclists "We're here. These are my people. A big hello to all the young people here. All my people are here. Say hello to all my friends who are going to Panama."
In a video, you can hear curse words going back and forth in Spanish. Someone can be heard taunting the group to get into a fistfight and then there's a yell to call the police. The video then suddenly faces down someone shouts 'dispara, dispara', which is Spanish for 'shoot, shoot'. Then what sounds like a gunshot is heard.
You also hear someone saying "Call the police. Call the police." Another person is heard saying "Calm down. Calm down. Stop."
Miami Fire Rescue said it was a bicyclist who was shot and he was transported in critical condition to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center where he died hours later.
"We do have one person in custody right now that we're investigating," said Cruz, indicating the motorcyclist.
Police have not yet said whether they believe the motorcyclist fired the shot.
Police have spoken to witnesses and are going over cell phone video that may help in their investigation.
After a day of questioning, the motorcyclist was released by Miami police and his lawyer said no charges have been filed.
Miami Police spokesman, Officer Mike Vega told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "We are looking for anyone who may have videos or photos from social media to contact Miami Police so that we can share this with our homicide investigators. We are just looking to find out what the relationship is between these two people and how they know each other. That would help in this investigation."
Cruz said investigators are working to determine if it was a road rage incident.
Police originally shut down the southbound lanes completely. They then instituted a counter flow measure which made the northbound side a two-lane road. The southbound lanes were re-opened later in the day.