MIAMI – A homeless man accused of breaking into two Brickell apartments and trying to rape a 62-year-old woman is raising questions about safety in one of Miami-Dade County’s fastest-growing neighborhoods.
Police confirmed the arrest of 46-year-old Jorge Armando Ortega early Sunday morning.
Miami Police Department Chief Manny Morales called the incident rare and insisted the area remains safe despite growing concerns.
“This is an anomaly. This is not the norm. This is an outlier,” Morales said. “Brickell and the city of Miami as a whole remains one of the safest cities in America.”
In fact, two major South Florida law enforcement agencies reported a drop in violent crime in their patrol areas, according to newly-released statistics.
The report from the Major Cities Chiefs Association shows it’s part of a nationwide trend in reduced violent crime in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024.
Related link: New stats show violent crime down in Miami, Miami-Dade
But several Brickell residents say their perception doesn’t match the department’s statistics.
“I think within the last eight months, it definitely has gotten a little more sketchier,” said Andrew Kiliment.
“Definitely think it’s gotten a little bit less safe over the last year,” added Kyleigh Custer, who also said, “There’s Facebook groups where girls are being chased on the street by homeless people.”
“We had someone break into someone’s apartment, wave knife at them,” Kiliment said.
“I’m a part of a bunch of Facebook groups, and a lot of people have concerns over the rise in crime,” Custer added.
Others say the concern may be overstated.
“I’m from Argentina so I’m used to … I don’t know. I’m used to dealing with homeless. It’s fine,” said Guido Mamone.
“I feel super safe,” said Tristan Dlavik. “I lived in Chicago before this, so Chicago — you don’t go outside.”
Still, Custer said, “Just the feeling has changed and I’ve noticed in these groups I’m in, tensions have been rising.”
Police say in recent incidents, doors were left unlocked and suspicious behavior wasn’t reported.
Morales urged residents to stay alert.
“Rest assured we’re out there, we’re present and we’re holding them accountable for the crimes that they’re committing,” he said.
Police say they are organizing a Brickell town hall to address what they describe as growing misconceptions and fear-mongering about safety in the neighborhood.
