A 28-year-old man is facing a long list of charges, including attempted murder and kidnapping, after Miami-Dade police say he followed a woman for roughly 20 blocks before assaulting her inside a residential building’s mailroom.
According to Miami-Dade jail records, Eddie Zewayne Bussey was taken into custody Tuesday and booked on charges that include kidnapping, attempted sexual battery, attempted second-degree murder, burglary, strong-arm robbery, battery by strangulation, indecent exposure, tampering with a victim, giving a false identity after arrest, criminal mischief, battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer with violence.
What police say happened
Per an arrest report cited by investigators, the incident began in the early morning hours of Aug. 14. A 40-year-old woman had left a club near N. Miami Avenue between 3:30 and 4:30 a.m. and was walking home along Biscayne Boulevard after her phone died, leaving her unable to call a rideshare.
She told police she noticed a man — later identified as Bussey — following her and making lewd comments. She said she crossed the street to try to lose him, but he trailed her for about 20 blocks until she ducked into a well-lit building near the 4700 block of Biscayne Boulevard, hoping to find help.
When no one answered on the 12th floor, she returned to the lobby — and, police say, found the man had followed her inside. Investigators say he punched her to the ground, kicked her repeatedly, then dragged her by her hair into the building’s mailroom, where he continued the assault while restraining her from leaving.
The woman told police she was choked to the point of being unable to breathe, and that Bussey lifted her dress and touched her inappropriately. Cash that fell from her clothing during the struggle was allegedly taken by the attacker. She eventually broke free and ran to a nearby CVS for help.
Surveillance video reportedly backs up much of her account, showing the suspect entering the building, exposing himself, and later confronting the woman in the mailroom while making threats to harm her, according to the report.
Evidence and arrest
Investigators say DNA recovered from the victim’s dress and from an AirPod left at the scene matched Bussey. When questioned, he initially denied involvement before acknowledging he had been in the building — claiming he was there to charge his phone — and later told police the woman had spit on him and made racist remarks, which he said prompted the attack, according to the report.
Police say Bussey became combative during booking, spitting on a detective and two sergeants and damaging an interview room. He remains in Miami-Dade custody and was expected to appear in bond court Wednesday. Attorney information was not immediately available.
A resident of the building told reporters that entry is normally restricted to key holders, raising questions about how the suspect gained access.