Confrontation over a bike leaves man dead
A confrontation and a single punch thrown outside of a convenience store is being blamed by Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputies in the death of a man who was suspected by another of stealing a bicycle.
Deputies say 48-year-old, Armin Aguilar-Velazco, was killed by 47-year-old, Darrell Lee Flournoy. They say Flournoy thought he recognized a bike outside the Stop N’ Shop convenience store at 1201 E. 142nd Ave. that he reported stolen last year.
After inquiring, Aguilar-Velazco was knocked out, never to regain consciousness. He died five days later.
Video taken with a cell phone by Alberto Perez shows the unconscious Aguilar-Velazco surrounded by numerous people who stopped to help.
"Is he awake?" some asked. "He is unconscious."
"He felt bad because he knew him for a long time, from the neighborhood," said translator and customer Yolanda Reyes. "He was a very nice guy."
Adding to the "why?" is the police report from Flournoy's claim of a stolen bike.
Flournoy said in November that he saw a male teenager, who was African-American, driving off with it.
Therefore, unloading his anger on Aguilar-Velazco, makes no sense to Flournoy's neighbor.
"He didn't deserve it," said Flournoy's neighbor, Sandi Roman. "Over a bicycle? Come on."
Deputies say after he threw the punch, Flournoy fled with the bicycle.
The officer's report says after he was arrested, he admitted to knocking out Aguilar-Velazco. Deputies say the punch was also captured on surveillance video.
In Perez's cell phone video, paramedics arrive to push back the devastated crowd.
Five days after a visit to a convenience store, the 48-year-old man died over a bicycle.
"To end your life like that is very sad," said Reyes.
Was it the same bicycle?
If it was, people at the store are convinced it changed hands several times before it wound up in Velazco's hands. Deputies could not confirm that.
Either way, they have charged Flournoy with manslaughter.