Judge Denies Bond For Suspect In Barbershop Shooting
MIAMI (CBS4) - A West Miami neighborhood comes together to remember the barber fatally shot by his co-worker while on the job Saturday.
All day long, friends and family, and even strangers, of 26-year-old Erick Ibarra remembered him with flowers at the currently closed Fast Cuts barbershop where he worked to help support his family in Nicaragua.
Rene Rojas Tellez, 35, is accused of killing Ibarra after a dispute broke out between him and his co-worker at the barbershop located at 10002 West Flagler Street around 5:20 p.m. Saturday.
According to the arrest report, Tellez had worked at the shop for eight days and had been arguing with Ibarra all week. Tellez told police that he went home Friday, loaded his gun, and plotted to kill Ibarra.
Reports read that on Saturday afternoon, Ibarra sprayed water on Tellez as he was cutting a customer's hair. After the client left, Tellez confronted Ibarra in the lunch room, pulled out a gun, and said, "You have disrespected me and you do not disrespect a man." Tellez then fired his gun at the victim, according to police.
After Ibarra was shot, witnesses heard Tellez tell him, "You have ruined a good man's life." He then dialed 9-1-1 and reportedly told the operator that he had shot someone.
Tellez was charged with first-degree murder with a firearm. He stood silent in court Monday as the judge ordered him to be held without bond.
Yamilet Lopez says she knew Tellez and that he seemed to get along fine with other employees.
"He's not the type of guy that's aggressive to come out and just shoot someone for no reason. He's actually a very calm person," Lopez said.
Employees at the barbershop were shocked by what occurred Saturday.
"He was a really friendly guy, always laughing, [and] always having a good time," said Ibarra's friend Ariel Guzman.
Juan Alvarez, a customer of Fast Cuts, said that Ibarra "would always tell stories. [He was] very humble. He would never get into any arguments with people. I don't understand what happened here."
This tragedy is bringing the community together. A neighborhood cafeteria is trying to collect the money to send Ibarra's body back to his native Nicaragua. Also, a Facebook page was created to help solicit contributions.
"In worst times, times like this, all communities come together," said fellow-Nicaraguan Vicente Icauerre. "Regardless of where they are from, we are human beings and we are here."
The Nicaraguan consulate is getting involved to hopefully make the request of bringing Ibarra's body back to Nicaragua come true.
