An 18-year-old in Hialeah is out of the hospital after being shot late last month by his 66-year-old neighbor.
Justo Jorge Arrate-Rodriguez was arrested on attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a firearm charges after police say he shot his teenage neighbor after an argument over parking.
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WATCH HERE“He’s doing well, thank God. He’s a miracle. He had a lung collapse," Yania Dominguez, the victim’s mother, told NBC6. “He’s recovering well. Thank God he’s talking and he’s alert. He’s walking.”
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According to the report, Arrate-Rodriguez and the victim's father had been involved in a dispute over parking on grass, and that led to a verbal dispute over Arrate-Rodriguez allegedly disrespecting the victim's sister.
The dispute escalated, and Arrate-Rodriguez pulled out a semi-automatic firearm and shot the victim in the chest and arm, the report said.
Arrate-Rodriguez was in court on Friday hoping a judge would grant him house arrest. State attorneys wanted him to stay in jail until trial.
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Celia Lambert, the defendant's niece, told NBC6 this was a case of bullying.
“He never had a criminal record. Never heard him say a curse word in my life,” Lambert said. “This is a case of bullying an old man.”
The family of the teen denied this claim.
Arrate-Rodriguez’s mother, Cira Arrate, also defended him and even volunteered to host him so he could stay away from the victim if he was granted house arrest.
“He’s been there for 40 years and he’s never had any problems with anyone,” Cira Arrate told NBC6 in Spanish. "Those people moved there and just look for trouble. He got tired."
After hearing from the victim’s family, Judge Lody Jean granted the state’s motion for pretrial detention. The defendant's family said it wasn't fair.
Arrate-Rodriguez is scheduled for an arraignment Feb. 20.
