MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An elderly man who was fatally shot Monday by a Miami-Dade police officer was getting close to being kicked out of his apartment, Local 10 News has learned.
Broken glass and bullet markings peppered the area where Raymond Bishop, 84, was shot and killed by the officer.
"He was very quiet, very patient. He was very helpful," neighbor Christian Rodriguez said. "He helped us through the hurricane. We had no water upstairs, but he was a very, very pleasant guy."
Rodriguez told Local 10 News that he saw nothing but kindness from the elderly man.
"The last time I saw him was like three days ago, walking his dogs in the morning," Rodriguez said.
Police said the U.S. military veteran was armed with a handgun when they arrived at the apartment near Southwest 138th Avenue and Southwest 270th Street Monday afternoon, responding to a suicidal call.
Police said officers pleaded with the elderly man to put the weapon down, and at some point, the man was shot.
"It's crazy that something like that can happen right in front of your doorstep. I didn't see him going out that way, especially being a veteran," Rodriguez said.
Local 10 News obtained an eviction notice filed by Hidden Grove Apartments against Bishop.
Last summer, one of his two service dogs apparently bit a woman. The dogs were never registered through the leasing office, so the complex attempted to force him out.
Bishop, who suffered from a mood disorder, according to documents, fought back and got a doctor from the VA to declare his dogs medically necessary.
"Everybody here gave him some meal or bread, whatever he need -- everybody helped him," neighbor Yda Quintana said.
The veteran's lease was set to expire at the end of the month.
As his lease came closer to an end, Bishop apparently grew more upset and despondent, while still unwilling to part ways with his 13- and 30-pound service dogs.
"He was one of the most pleasant, pleasant neighbors that we've had here," Rodriguez said.
The identities of the officers involved in the shooting have not been released. However, police said one the officers has been with the department for 23 years. The other officer involved has been on the force for 10 months, police said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.