HIALEAH, Fla. – A shooting that occurred in the parking lot of a Hialeah UPS-affiliated facility early Thursday morning was a case of self-defense, according to police. They say it all stemmed from a fight between two groups of the hub’s employees.
Now, the 21-year-old man who was shot is facing criminal charges.
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The confrontation happened at around 3:30 a.m. at the facility, located at 969 E. 56th St., across from the Hialeah Police Department.
Lt. Eddie Rodriguez, an HPD spokesperson, said during the fight, one person “threatened to retrieve a friend” with a gun from a nearby car. That friend, police said, was identified as Anthony Ernest, a former employee.
“The other individual involved in the fight then ran to his own awaiting vehicle, where his family (brother, mother, younger sister) were picking him up from work,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said as they were about to leave, Ernest, of northwest Miami-Dade, “approached with his hand in a bookbag, containing a firearm.”
“The brother of the other individual, who was inside the vehicle, fired his own weapon in self-defense, shooting Ernest before he had the opportunity to discharge his firearm,” he said. “After being shot, Ernest attempted to conceal the bookbag and firearm before hiding inside of his vehicle, as officers arrived.”
Rodriguez said officers ultimately found Ernest in his car, shot in the leg and took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center for treatment.
They later arrested him on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm.
Ernest is listed in online jail records as being held in the Pre-Trial Detention Center but he did not have a mugshot as of Friday afternoon.
Records show a judge found probable cause to charge him but ordered that he be released on his own recognizance.
UPS released a statement to Local 10 News about the shooting which you can read here:
“We’re aware of the incident outside of our Hialeah facility. As this is an active police investigation, we’ll refer you to the authorities for additional questions.”
Editor’s Note: A UPS spokesperson confirmed that the shooting occurred outside the company’s Hialeah fulfillment hub — not at a UPS store. The story has been corrected.