Landlord Shoots, Kills Bat-Wielding Tenant in Hialeah: Police

Man shot to death in what police are calling a landlord-tenant dispute

A landlord shot and killed his evicted tenant in front of a Hialeah home early Thursday morning, police said.

The incident happened shortly before 2 a.m. in the 5700 block of West 10th Avenue when the two got into a confrontation outside, Hialeah Police said.

According to police, the tenant, 24-year-old Yasmani Puentes, had been evicted Wednesday night by Miami-Dade Police, but he returned to the home early Thursday with a baseball bat.

Puentes threatened the landlord, 50-year-old Williams Arteaga, with the bat but the Arteaga was carrying a gun and shot the Puentes in the chest, police said.

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Puentes' body was found on a front lawn outside the home, police said.

Police said Arteaga was cooperating with detectives. He hasn't been charged with a crime and it's being treated as self defense, police said.

"All that depends on the state attorney's office along with the information our investigators are able to prove as well as any witness statements and if this video that's outside the home is actually working," said Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Eddie Rodriguez.

The medical examiner was at the scene early Thursday collecting evidence.

Neighbors said the incident was unexpected.

"Very strange, very, very out of character," neighbor Charles Pollok said. "Like I said, this section of streets is all very quiet."

Michael Allen, another neighbor, was in disbelief.

"I live right behind them, they have a dog always barking, going crazy in my back yard," he said. "But I never hear them screaming or anything like that, so that's why I'm shocked right now, very shocked."

The incident is still being investigated.

Check back with NBC 6 South Florida and NBC6.com for updates.

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