PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A 29-year-old man is facing a first-degree felony charge punishable by life in prison on Saturday in Broward County after a workplace shooting on Friday in Pembroke Pines.
Jesus Santiago — who police accused of shooting a man in the back at a barbershop — appeared in bond court before Broward County Circuit Judge Deborah Carpenter-Toye.
“My brother is not a violent person; he has never had any altercation or any issues with the law,” Juan Carlos Rivera told Carpenter-Toye — his voice breaking.
Santiago’s father and mother were both in tears by a podium in the courtroom. There was an English-Spanish interpreter to help them. His father waved him goodbye.
Broward Sheriff’s Office inmate records show Pembroke Pines police officers arrested Santiago, also known as Jesus Leroy Santiago Zabala, on Friday after the shooting. Correctional deputies booked him at the main jail in Fort Lauderdale where he remained on Saturday.
WORKPLACE SHOOTING
The shooting was after a confrontation between a former employee and a current employee at the Halftime Barber, at 15677 Pines Boulevard, in Pembroke Pines, police said. One ended up in jail and the other in the hospital.
According to the Pembroke Pines Police Department, a man who was fired from the Halftime Barber on Thursday was the victim of the shooting — after he returned to his former place of employment on Friday.
“The suspect and the shooting victim were previously employed together at the barbershop,” Capt. Adam Feiner, a spokesman for the department, wrote in a statement, adding, “On Thursday ... the shooting victim was let go from the business and his employment status ended. On Friday ... he returned to the business and confronted his former co-worker.”
Pembroke Pines fire rescue personnel used an ambulance to rush the wounded man to the hospital, police said.
“The confrontation resulted in the suspect firing a single gunshot,” Feiner wrote in a statement. “The suspect was quickly detained by responding officers, and no outstanding threat to the community exists since this incident is isolated between two known parties.”
FELONY CASE
Santiago is facing a first-degree felony. His defense asked for pre-trial release and a $100 bond on Saturday in court. The records on the specific charge were conflicting.
“The charge that is listed on the booking sheet is premeditated murder,” Carpenter-Toye said in bond court. “However, the arrest report listed it as an attempted murder.”
Inmate and court records showed Santiago was facing a premeditated murder charge. Despite the family’s plea for leniency, Carpenter-Toye found probable cause for attempted first-degree murder and denied Santiago’s bond after the prosecutor’s request in court.
“He does have an opportunity to see the judge who is going to be assigned to the case to further address any bond issues and any other matters pertaining to the case,” Carpenter-Toye said.
Court records show Broward County Circuit Judge N. Hunter Davis is set to preside over the case. Santiago’s arraignment hearing had yet to be scheduled on Saturday afternoon.
According to Feiner, detectives were still investigating the case. They asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call the Pembroke Pines Police Department at 954-431-2200 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.
Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Joyce Grace Ortega contributed to this report.
Watch Santiago’s bond court hearing
Inmate record Saturday
Court record Saturday
Correction: A previous version of this story identified the shooter as the man who was fired, but the man who was shot on Friday was the one who was fired on Thursday.