MIAMI – During his testimony Wednesday in Miami-Dade County court, Gustavo Londoño said he saw an angry motorcyclist argue with a cyclist and fire a gun over five years ago.
Londoño said in Spanish, that he had witnessed Kadel Piedrahita fatally shooting Alex Palencia, a 48-year-old father of three, on Aug. 14, 2019, along The Rickenbacker Causeway.
Londoño, a cyclist who had been riding with Palencia, said he also saw an enraged Piedrahita chasing Cesar Sosa, a fellow cyclist, at the Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge.
“I said, ‘Calm down Alexis; help is on the way,” Londoño said he told Palencia after the shooting.
Londoño also testified both Palencia and Sosa were unarmed and the only gun he saw was the one Piedrahita fired. During opening statements, the defense claimed the shooting was self-defense since Sosa handed Palencia a gun after a beating.
Piedrahita was riding a motorcycle with the group of cyclists, known as the “Don Pan Riders.” Piedrahita’s son was among the group of cyclists.
“He has one hand on the bike and one hand on the selfie stick recording on Facebook Live,” Assistant Public Defender Yanelis Zamora told jurors in court about Piedrahita.
Zamora said Palencia “put his hands” on Piedrahita causing him to lose his balance. During opening statements, Assistant State Attorney Conor Soper said Piedrahita kicked Palencia from his motorcycle. The two got into a scuffle.
“Two other cyclists, actually, jumped into the fight as well. At one point, it’s actually three against one. Mr. Piedrahita is hit in the head with something hard. He is getting punched in the face with fists multiple times,” Zamora said.
Soper said Piedrahita commanded his son to get him his gun.
“He takes out his gun to show force not to use force,” Zamora said adding Cesar Sosa, a cyclist, then handed Palencia a gun.
Witnesses said Pedrahita shot Palencia in the abdomen.
“This case was captured on several different cameras,” Soper told jurors in court. “It was captured on cell phone cameras from witnesses. It was captured on GoPro cameras from the bicyclists... and part of it was even captured on the defendant’s own video.”
The jurors saw some of the videos during Londoño’s testimony.
Piedrahita is on trial for second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a firearm.