Miami Gardens man arrested after household claims he was mistaken for tried housebreaking topic speaks out – WSVN 7News | Miami Information, Climate, Sports activities

MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) – A Miami Gardens man who was captured on surveillance video being apprehended by police after, he and his family claim, he was mistaken for an attempted burglary subject said he did nothing wrong and has the video to prove it.

Newly released from jail, 23-year-old John Keilly Saint Rilus shared his side of the story with 7News following his arrest early Friday morning.

“I remember walking outside. I was on the phone, and next thing you know, before I know it, I see five cars just coming towards me,” he said.

Miami Gardens Police officers were responding to an attempted burglary call, something that, Saint Rilus said, he did not do.

“As they’re coming towards me, I kind of jump out of the way, because they’re trying to hit me,” he said, “so I jump out of the way, and that’s when I, like, kind of run towards the door, ’cause I’m scared at this point, I run towards the door. I try to run in the house, and the whole time I’m running, I’m saying, ‘I live here.’”

Doorbell surveillance video from Saint Rilus’ home captured an officer banging on the front door and demanding that he come out.

This all began when police responded to the call at 2:04 a.m., less than a mile from ​Saint Rilus’ home.

Saint Rilus’ mother, who identified herself as Martha, said she has proof this is a case of mistaken identity.

She showed 7News her Ring door video with time stamps.

Martha, who asked not to show her face on camera, said the footage shows her son at 1:44 a.m. walking out of the house on the phone, then at 1:49 walking back inside.

At 2:11 a.m., seven minutes after police responded to the attempted burglary call, Saint Rilus is seen walking back outside, still on the phone. A different camera angle shows him walking on the street at 2:18.

A minute later, police pulled up, and ​Saint Rilus took off running back into his home.

That’s when police chase him, and during that chase, video shows blood on a sergeant’s hand and on the iron door of the home.

When Saint Rilus eventually surrendered, he was charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence, not attempted burglary.

The arrest report states, “The defendant was not identified as the suspect from the initial burglary call during a show-up conducted by an officer.”

As for the sergeant’s injury, Saint Rilus said, “I was unaware the officer got injured until I got to Miami Gardens, the police station,” he said, “and I’m sorry that he got injured and stuff like that, but it was an awful situation.”

After spending time locked up, Saint Rilus is now back home, hoping for justice and to soon be free of his charges.

“I’m still facing assault, battery and battery on an officer. Obviously, this wasn’t a good situation; it was not the right thing to happen,” he said. “It was different ways to approach the situation, and this way was not the way to approach it. It was just a bad situation.”

As of late Saturday night, Miami Gardens Police has not responded to 7News’ request for more information about their investigation.

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