Miami police arrest man accused of beating elderly neighbor at Shenandoah bus stop

MIAMI Miami police arrested a suspect Monday morning after he allegedly attacked his elderly neighbor at a bus stop in Shenandoah, leaving the victim in the hospital, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

Yendra Sanchez, 45, was charged with aggravated battery on a person 65 or older, according to an arrest report from MPD.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. near the 900 block of Southwest 22nd Avenue, where police and first responders found the elderly victim with visible injuries and in distress.

Miami police said officers were dispatched to the scene after a 911 call reported an elderly man being assaulted.

Authorities reported that Miami Fire Rescue personnel had already arrived at the scene and were treating the victim.

According to Sanchez’s arrest report, the victim had two lacerations to her forehead and a deep cut to her swollen lower lip. Firefighters later transported him to HCA Florida Mercy Hospital for further treatment.

The first witness to the attack told police he was driving south on Southwest 22nd Avenue when he saw Sanchez repeatedly punch and kick a defenseless elderly man sitting on a bus stop bench, the report said.

While trying to stop the attack, police said the witness got out of his car and yelled at Sanchez, who immediately fled south on foot toward Southwest Ninth Street.

A witness called 911 after Sanchez fled and provided police with a description of the suspect, authorities said.

As police gathered more information, Miami police discovered surveillance footage from a nearby business.

According to detectives, CCTV footage shows an elderly man walking up to the bus stop and sitting down. Just minutes later, Sanchez appeared on the screen following the victim, according to investigators.

Police said that without provocation or warning, Sanchez swung his right arm and punched the victim in the head. The video continued to show Sanchez delivering a second punch to the victim’s face, causing him to fall to the bench, authorities said.

According to the report, the attack escalated when Sanchez kicked the elderly man in the head before fleeing on foot. Police said Sanchez, who was wearing black sunglasses, a black T-shirt, black shorts and black sneakers with white soles at the time of the incident, could be clearly identified on surveillance footage.

While conducting surveillance in a nearby parking lot, police said they observed Sanchez walking west toward his apartment building near the 2200 block of Southwest Ninth Street.

Authorities confirmed he was still wearing the same clothing seen in the surveillance video. Officers said they quickly apprehended Sanchez before he entered the apartment complex.

After reading Sanchez his Miranda rights in English, police said Sanchez waived his rights and agreed to give a statement, although details of his statement were redacted in the released report.

During a subsequent interview with the elderly victim at the hospital, the man described a disturbing encounter with Sanchez earlier that morning.

He said that when he was leaving the shared apartment building, Sanchez became agitated when he was unable to enter the building, the report said.

The victim reported that Sanchez kicked the door and yelled at him, but he chose to ignore the explosion and continued on his way. The last thing he remembered was sitting at a bus stop and being unexpectedly hit by Sanchez, authorities confirmed.

Police have not released any information about the victim’s age or condition.

Jail records show Sanchez is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set” as of Tuesday afternoon.

Local News 10 requested surveillance video of the alleged attack.