An 84-year-old Hialeah man accused of threatening a teenage neighbor with a gun is speaking out, insisting he was misunderstood and wrongfully arrested.
The man, identified as Elso Lino Rodríguez, out on bond, said he never pulled a firearm—only a cellphone from his pocket.
Suspect claims mix-up over cellphone
Rodríguez said police and witnesses mistook his cellphone for a weapon. “I was wearing a jacket. They must have thought I had a gun,” Rodríguez said, showing CBS News Miami the jacket he wore and the cellphone he claims was mistaken for a firearm.
Despite his explanation, police arrested Rodríguez on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm.
During his bond hearing, Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer acknowledged his age but emphasized the seriousness of the case.
“I understand you’re 84 years old, but you’re going to have to find another place to live because these are very serious allegations,” Glazer said.
Rodríguez maintains that the firearm police confiscated was legally owned and stored safely in his home. “I have the right to own a gun,” he said. “But it was in my house, not with me.”
Mom: Teen was threatened at close range
The alleged victim’s mother, Ena Herrera, described a frightening encounter outside the apartment building.
“I was shaking—it was horrible,” Herrera said. “He pointed a gun at my son and said he was going to kill him. He told me I was going to have to pick up his body.”
According to Hialeah police, the incident happened Saturday evening at 138 West 26th Street, just steps from Rodríguez’s apartment.
The police report said Rodríguez confronted the teenager in an outdoor area of the building and allegedly threatened him.
Defendant maintains he was target of harassment
Rodríguez denied that version of events. He maintained he went to speak with the building manager after being harassed for several nights by neighborhood kids.
“I haven’t been sleeping well for nights because of these teenagers bothering me,” he said. “I went there to talk to the manager, not to threaten anyone.”
His girlfriend supported his account, saying the teens had been disturbing Rodríguez late at night. “They knock on his window at 10 or 11 p.m.,” she said. “They don’t let him sleep.”
Conflicting accounts under investigation
Herrera insists Rodríguez targeted the wrong child.
“Two boys were there that night, but they weren’t my son’s friends,” she said. “He came after them and pointed at my son, saying, ‘I’m going to kill him.'”
Rodríguez maintains his innocence and says he plans to clear his name. “I intend to prove I’m innocent. I’ve been wrongly accused,” he said.
As part of his bond conditions, Rodríguez will live with one of his daughters and must stay away from the teenager and the neighborhood where he has lived for years.
