What was once a close friendship between two young men ended in tragedy earlier this month when a 21-year-old man was arrested Friday for allegedly shooting his former best friend in North Miami Beach, authorities confirmed Monday.
According to an arrest report from the North Miami Beach Police Department, Litvinochy Erick Hermantin now faces serious charges after an ongoing feud with the victim escalated into a violent confrontation.
Police said the incident began in the early hours of Sept. 7 when the NMBPD officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert indicating a gunshot had been fired near the 1800 block of Northeast 169th Street.
Although officers initially did not find evidence of a scene, the case took a turn later that day when Miami-Dade police reported that a man had arrived at Jackson North Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the leg.
Authorities said detectives from NMBPD were immediately notified and met with the victim at the hospital.
Once at the hospital, the victim cooperated with detectives, who took photographs of his injuries and gathered further evidence, including bloody clothing from the shooting scene, according to the report.
During the interview, the victim, who police confirmed has known Hermantin since the eighth grade, revealed that the two had been like brothers for about six years before their relationship eventually fell apart.
According to an arrest report, the victim told detectives that after having a fallout with Hermantin in January 2023, the suspect began sending him threatening messages, leading to increasing tension between the former friends.
On the evening of Sept. 6, police said the victim began receiving more threatening messages from Hermantin via Instagram.
According to the victim, Hermantin, who was 20 years old at the time of the incident, demanded a fight, first asking him to meet at Greynolds Park. However, when the victim declined, Hermantin instructed him to come to his apartment complex near the 1600 block of Northeast 18th Avenue.
Around 5 a.m. on Sept. 7, authorities said the victim drove to Hermantin’s apartment, where he remained in his car while Hermantin stood on the sidewalk.
Video evidence provided to detectives by the victim showed Hermantin holding a gun in his right hand while recording himself with a cellphone in his left hand, the report stated.
Police said the victim, who also recorded the encounter on his cellphone, was heard repeatedly telling Hermantin to put down the gun and fight him “like a man.”
As the confrontation continued, authorities said Hermantin was seen on the victim’s cellphone video footage approaching the victim’s vehicle while holding the gun.
At one point, police said Hermantin retreated to the sidewalk and fired a single shot toward the victim. The bullet struck the victim in the left thigh, and in the video, the victim can be heard stating that he had been shot and needed to go to the hospital, according to investigators.
Police said despite being shot, the victim drove himself home thinking he could treat the injury on his own. After several hours, around 8 a.m., authorities said the victim contacted a friend to take him to the hospital, where medical staff treated his gunshot wound.
Once at the hospital, the victim cooperated with detectives, who police said took photographs of his injuries and gathered further evidence, including bloody clothing from the shooting scene. After being discharged, the victim was transported to the North Miami Beach Police Department for a formal interview.
During the interview, detectives said the victim identified Hermantin as the shooter and recounted the sequence of events leading up to the shooting. He described how their friendship, once close enough to consider each other brothers, had deteriorated over the past year, resulting in ongoing threats and eventual violence.
Investigators said they obtained a search warrant for Hermantin’s residence.
On Friday, the NMBPD’s Special Response Team executed the search warrant at Hermantin’s apartment, where they said they found a gun in a dresser located in his bedroom, although it is unclear at this time if the weapon was the same one used in the shooting.
Hermantin was taken into custody and transported to the NMBPD station, where he was read his Miranda rights.
During questioning, detectives said Hermantin admitted to being outside his apartment at approximately 4 a.m. on the day of the shooting. He also claimed to have seen a black vehicle occupied by three men, two of whom he recognized. However, he did not report the encounter to the police, even after officers responded to the area following the initial ShotSpotter alert, according to the report.
Jail records show Hermantin is facing one count each of attempted murder with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm, illegal use of a firearm while committing a felony, illegally discharging a firearm while outdoors in a recreational or residential area and illegally carrying a concealed weapon.
As of Monday, Hermantin is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond has not yet been determined.
Police did not disclose the victim’s age or the reason behind the argument that led to the alleged shooting.
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Source: local10
