TAMARAC, Fla. — A 23-year-old man is facing a murder charge after the victim of a shooting in Tamarac died, the Broward Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.
Xavier Mojica, of Tamarac, was originally arrested on an attempted murder charge after the May 3 shooting that occurred in the 7600 block of Northwest 74th Terrace, where both Mojica and the victim lived.
The victim was identified by authorities as 66-year-old Vernon Roe.
The relationship between the two has not been released, however deputies said Mojica shot Roe shortly after 6 p.m. on May 3 after the two got into a verbal dispute regarding rent payment issues.
According to an arrest report, during the argument, another person, identified as Freddy Cora, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, placed it in his pocket and returned to the patio area where the suspect and victim were arguing.
Mojica told detectives that Cora later threw the knife back into the home, the report stated.
According to the report, Mojica claimed that he tried to enter the home and pushed past the victim, but Roe, who was standing near the doorway, pushed him, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
Deputies said Mojica claimed that he then saw Roe and Cora motion as if they were going to walk toward him, at which point he fired at them because he didn’t know if they were going to “help him up, beat him up or stab him.”
The victim was struck in the torso, authorities said.
According to the report, Mojica admitted that neither Roe nor Cora were armed at the time of the shooting.
Roe was hospitalized in critical condition after the shooting and died on Friday, the report stated.
Mojica now faces a second-degree murder charge.
As of Tuesday morning, he was being held at the Broward County Main Jail without bond.
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