A Miami-Dade couple is asking for answers after they say they were confronted and physically attacked by women they did not know while walking to work Sunday night in northwest Miami-Dade.
Felyz Rodriguez and Davin Lopez said they were simply walking when they heard women inside a car yelling at them. What started as a verbal exchange quickly escalated, according to the couple, who said one of the women sprayed them with pepper spray before the confrontation turned physical.
“I want to know why, I want to know what we did,” Lopez said.
Rodriguez said there was no reason for the confrontation to become violent.
“It was all unprovoked; we’re just walking,” she said.
Couple says confrontation escalated quickly
According to Lopez, the women yelled at the couple from the vehicle, telling them to get out of the road and calling them names.
Lopez said he responded with a hand gesture, after which the vehicle turned around and came back toward them.
He said one of the women then got out of the vehicle and sprayed him with pepper spray. The confrontation continued as two of the women allegedly became physical with the couple.
A bystander captured part of the encounter on video.
Rodriguez, who is a transgender woman, said the video shows one of the women grabbing her by the hair. She said she tried not to fight back because she wanted to prevent the situation from becoming even more serious.
“I’m trying my best to not put my hands on anybody because instead of trying to make it worse I’m trying to de-escalate it,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said the driver later reversed the vehicle, causing her to fall to the ground.
Couple treated for injuries and pepper spray exposure
Miami-Dade deputies responded after the incident, but the people involved in the vehicle had already left the area.
The couple told investigators they were injured during the confrontation. They reported bruises, cuts and swelling, along with the effects of being sprayed with pepper spray.
Rodriguez said the incident has left her shaken and struggling to understand why the confrontation happened in the first place.
“It’s just sad, honestly,” she said. “I’m confused, I’m distraught and I’m just traumatized at this point.”
The couple said they are particularly troubled because they did not know the women involved.
Couple wants answers as investigation continues
Rodriguez and Lopez said they are now questioning what may have prompted the attack. Rodriguez said she does not know whether the confrontation was personal, a possible hate-related incident or something else.
At this point, the couple said they want the people responsible to be identified and held accountable.
“This was my life and my partner’s life on the line,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez and Lopez said they intend to press charges.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office General Investigations Unit is expected to take over the investigation as detectives
