Two teens were taken into custody after a man was shot and killed near a condominium building in Coral Gables on Friday morning, leading to a pursuit and large police perimeter in Coconut Grove.
Miami-Dade police confirmed that 67-year-old Jorge Romero-Gil was shot and killed after an altercation near the 10 Aragon Condominium located at 10 Aragon Avenue, just after 10 a.m.
Witnesses said Romero-Gil was picking up trash near the condo building's loading dock when a vehicle pulled up and there was an argument.
The initial investigation revealed that two teens exited their vehicle and approached Romero-Gil. One subject was identified as 18-year-old Gary Ragin, and the other is a minor, aged 17.
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According to the arrest reports, Ragin pointed a glock handgun at the victim, and demanded his property.
The reports say Romero-Gil complied with their demands by handing over an envelope containing cash.
The reports then say the 17-year-old grabbed the gun from Ragin, shot the victim in the chest, and stole Romero-Gil’s wallet as he lay dying.
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Investigators say the teens then got back in their vehicle to flee the scene.
According to the reports, the teens were traveling in a Dodge Caliber that had been reported stolen out of Miami.
Shortly after the incident, a Coral Gables police officer observed the teens' vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle refused to stop and a pursuit ensued, according to MDPD.
"They were immediately pursued before they left the city of Coral Gables' limits, and really we’re a block off the city of Miami, and one of our units, a very alert unit, saw the vehicle, pursued the vehicle, no crashes along the way," Coral Gables Police Chief Ed Hudak said. "Again, this is a violent felony which is in our policy for a pursuit, as they got to this area they were obviously lost, they jumped out of the car."
The vehicle was then involved in a single-car crash located at Tigertail Avenue and Darwin Street. The teens fled on foot, and a perimeter was established.
Members from MDPD, along with the City of Miami and the City of Coral Gables Police Departments, responded and apprehended both teens without incident.
Detectives were able to recover a firearm and Romero-Gil's personal belongings. After speaking with detectives, both teens confessed to their involvement and were arrested and charged accordingly.
Both teens are being charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon.
"The responding units again responded professionally and just the way we train, surrounded the area and we were able to, not only with our help and our resources but through the neighbors, calling us and telling us what they saw, if you see something say something, it works," Hudak said.
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