Arrest made after Miami Beach condo resident pistol-whipped during home invasion, police say
An arrest has been made in a Miami Beach condominium home invasion in which a man was pistol-whipped, and money and a phone were stolen, according to Miami Beach police.
Investigators the same suspect committed an armed burglary shortly before that.
According to police, on Tuesday, June 17, officers were sent to Flamingo Towers at 1508 Bay Road to check out reports of an armed robbery.
A woman who lives in the building said she was walking to a trash chute when an armed man, who police identified as 31-year-old Brian Lopez of Hialeah, pulled a gun on her and demanded that she take him to her unit, according to police.
Once there, Lopez allegedly threatened the woman, a person who lives with her (identified in the police report as J.K.), and someone who was staying with them. He demanded that they get on the ground and hand over their belongings, investigators said.
"Initially, J.K. resisted the defendant's commands and refused to get on the ground. The defendant then pistol whipped J.K. by striking him on the top of his head, causing a minor laceration," according to the report.
Investigators said J.K. was forced to transfer $1,500 via cell and Lopez stole one of their cellphones. He then allegedly demanded that they take him to their vehicle.
When the group made it to the lobby, J.K. screamed for help and Lopez took off, according to the report.
He was taken into custody a short time later.
During the course of their investigation, police said they determined that Lopez had also committed another burglary in the building prior to this incident. In that incident, Lopez is accused of stealing a man's wallet, phone and keys to his unit.
Lopez is facing one count of armed home invasion, three counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, and one count of armed burglary with battery.
During his first court appearance on Friday, the judge found there was probable cause for the charges and ordered that he be held without bond.
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