MIAMI – A newly obtained arrest warrant, reported by Local 10 News, provides details about the events leading up to the tragic shooting of a well-known business owner in Miami’s Liberty City.
The victim, Nader Aweidah, 46, also known as “Bubba,” was shot and killed on the morning of June 6 at his establishment, Perfect Auto Paint & Body Shop, located near Northwest Seventh Avenue and 75th Street.
Ferris Phillips II, 38, surrendered himself to the Fort Lauderdale police later that evening. He was subsequently taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Tuesday, where he is being held without bail on a charge of first-degree murder.
According to the arrest warrant, Phillips entered Aweidah’s office inside the body shop shortly before 11 a.m. that morning and demanded to speak with him.
A witness present in the office at the time informed the police that Aweidah requested Phillips to wait, after which Phillips sat on a couch until the witness departed.
Surveillance footage captured Phillips following the witness out of the office, inspecting the body shop, and then returning inside, as per the warrant.
Authorities stated that Phillips reentered the office and immediately began shooting at Aweidah before fleeing the premises. Aweidah sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
The witness, who had not yet driven away, informed the detectives that he observed the suspect running outside after the shooting and positively identified him to the police through a photo lineup.
Although Phillips provided a statement to the officers, the contents of that statement were redacted from the publicly released report, according to the warrant.
The motive behind the shooting was not mentioned in the warrant.
Richard Rios, an employee at the body shop, described Aweidah as an exceptional individual, saying, “He had a heart of gold, and he would take the shirt off his back for anyone.”
In addition to the body shop, Aweidah also owned Bubba’s Supermarket.