Customer shoots man trying to rob fruit vendor

HIALEAH, Fla. (WSVN) -- According to police, a customer stepped up and shot a man trying to hold up a fruit peddler.

According to Hialeah Police, at around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, someone walked up to the fruit vendor, who parked his truck in the area of West 72nd Street and 30th Avenue to sell fruit, pointed a gun at him and demanded cash. That is when the third person stepped in and shot the subject.

"So far, we have one male that approached a fruit vendor and produced a firearm and asked for money," said Hialeah Police Detective Eddie Rodriguez. "That's when a third person at the scene produced his own firearm, shooting the subject."

According to witnesses on the scene, about half a dozen shots were fired. "All of a sudden, you just hear pop noises," said Marianny Briseno, "and she was like, 'Oh, they shot someone.' I was like, 'No, you're kidding' because I've never heard shot noises, so we look out, and we see this scene with all these police officers."

Witnesses said the would-be robber was struck in the face. Miami-Dade Air Rescue landed in a nearby field and transported the wounded man to Jackson Memorial Hospital. His condition remains unknown.

It also remains unknown whether he or the shooter will be charged with anything.

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