Surveillance video captured a midday attack at Pinolandia on Northwest 119th Street; the victim was airlifted in stable condition.
MIAMI, Fla. — A dispute between two women inside a crowded Northwest Miami-Dade restaurant turned violent Wednesday afternoon when one pulled scissors and stabbed the other, authorities said. The fight erupted around 2:30 p.m. at Pinolandia, a Nicaraguan eatery on NW 119th Street near 11th Avenue, and ended with the victim airlifted to a hospital and a 22-year-old suspect in custody.
The case has drawn attention because much of the confrontation was recorded on store surveillance cameras and shared with local stations, showing a brief argument that became a flurry of punches and stabbing motions in front of customers and staff. Deputies said the dispute began when the suspect asked the victim for money and was refused. Investigators identified the suspect as Damaris Rodriguez and said she faces an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge. The restaurant closed temporarily after the attack as officers documented the scene and gathered statements from employees and witnesses.
According to Miami-Dade investigators, the women had argued outside the business for days before the conflict moved indoors shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Video from inside Pinolandia shows the pair shoving near a service counter as customers look on. In the clip, a woman in dark clothing raises an object and strikes repeatedly while workers rush forward and diners step back from the commotion. “They had been arguing for days,” restaurant manager Bernardo Ruiz said in an interview recorded after the incident. “Then she came in and used scissors. People were scared.” Deputies said the victim suffered multiple wounds to her upper body, including the head and arms. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported her by air in stable condition.
Officials said Rodriguez approached the victim and asked for money shortly before the stabbing. When the victim refused, the suspect followed her into the restaurant, where the confrontation escalated. Investigators said the weapon used in the assault appeared to be a pair of scissors kept near the front area. The victim, whose name has not been released, is an adult woman. As of Thursday, her condition was described as stable at a local trauma center. Detectives collected the scissors, reviewed surveillance footage from several angles, and took statements from multiple witnesses, including staff who tried to intervene. The owner told reporters his team shut down briefly to cooperate with authorities and to clean the area as detectives completed their work. No other injuries were reported, and damage inside the dining room was minor.
The restaurant, a longtime stop for Central American fare on NW 119th Street, was busy with midday customers when the scuffle began. Regulars said lines often form around lunch and dinner as families and workers pass through the counter-service space. Employees who saw the fight said they first noticed raised voices near the entrance, followed by pushing near the cashier. One worker stepped between the women moments before the stabbing, according to video, then backed away as the suspect raised the scissors and thrust several times. The clip shows customers recoiling and a child being pulled aside as workers yelled for the women to stop. Staff later mopped up and pushed equipment back into place as police taped off the front counter for photographs.
Rodriguez was detained nearby and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, deputies said. Jail records reviewed by reporters listed a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. At a bond hearing Thursday, video from the courtroom showed Rodriguez appearing sluggish and largely unresponsive as the judge reviewed the allegations and set pretrial conditions. Prosecutors told the judge the victim suffered multiple stab wounds but was expected to survive. Defense counsel asked for a medical screening at the jail. The court ordered no contact with the victim and scheduled a follow-up status setting. A formal arraignment is expected in the coming weeks, when prosecutors will decide whether to file additional counts tied to the use of a weapon in a public place.
Neighborhood residents said arguments are not uncommon along that commercial strip near NW 119th Street and 11th Avenue, where small groceries, takeout counters and bus stops cluster within a few blocks. The owner of Pinolandia said his staff has dealt with confrontations outside before, including requests for cash and disputes among customers that sometimes spill toward the door. “It was scary for everyone,” he said, adding that a handful of diners left their orders behind as the fight played out. A customer who arrived minutes later described seeing police cruisers lined along the curb and officers guiding people out of the restaurant while tape went up. By late afternoon, the counter reopened to regulars, though a section near the register remained roped off while employees finished cleaning.
Detectives with Miami-Dade are reviewing surveillance video from inside and outside the business and canvassing nearby storefronts for additional angles. Investigators also planned to re-interview the victim once doctors allow, according to a department spokesperson. The agency said it will release the victim’s name once family notifications are complete and medical privacy rules are met. Detectives are also examining whether prior disturbances between the same women were reported to police in recent days and whether any trespass warnings or prior service calls were logged at the address. If additional evidence supports it, prosecutors could consider upgraded or companion charges. For now, the case remains classified as an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, a felony under Florida law.
As of Friday morning, the victim remained hospitalized in stable condition, according to officials familiar with the case. The restaurant is open, and employees said they expect to cooperate with any further requests for video or records. Police said updated information could be released after the weekend once detectives complete witness interviews and finish processing physical evidence. The next milestone is an arraignment date for Rodriguez, which is expected to be set in early December.
Author note: Last updated November 28, 2025.