Miami Manhunt Ends In Fatal Shootout

Authorities say a Miami manhunt has ended in a shootout, killing the suspected gunman in a traffic stop shooting several hours earlier that left one Miami-Dade County police officer dead and three other officers injured.

Officers from police departments across South Florida had conducted a massive search for the suspect, who investigators identified as 25-year-old Shawn Sherwin Labeet. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez said Labeet was found shortly before midnight in a Pembroke Pines apartment complex late Thursday.

"There was an exchange of gunfire and the subject was shot and killed," said Alvarez.

Alvarez, a former county police director, identified the dead officer as Jose Somohano, 37, a married father of two. Another officer, Jody Wright, 31, underwent several hours of surgery to repair her severely injured leg. The other two injured officers were treated and released.

Labeet was armed when police found him about 30 miles north of the original shooting scene late Thursday, according to Alvarez, who said the family of the dead officer has been informed of Labeet's death.

"They asked us for one thing," said Alvarez. "They asked us to catch the subject. Well, I'm happy to report that shortly before midnight, we found the subject."

Miami-Dade Police Director Robert Parker said several police agencies were involved throughout Thursday in the manhunt, which took about twelve hours.

"It is absolutely as a result of an all-out law enforcement effort to apprehend this individual and some very good investigative work that we were able to locate him and attempt to place him in custody," Parker said. "Unfortunately, it led to his death."

According to police spokeswoman Linda O'Brien, the officers were conducting a burglary surveillance in the Miami suburb of Cutler Bay when they stopped Labeet Thursday morning because he was driving erratically. Without warning, according to O'Brien, Labeet started shooting at police.

Authorities say Labeet, who may have been wearing a bulletproof vest, fled in his car, which was found abandoned five miles away. Alvarez said an AK-47 assault rifle was found inside the vehicle.

Alvarez told reporters that Labeet's girlfriend was questioned, but gave officers the name of another man. That, said the mayor, caused investigators to waste several hours looking for the other man before he came forward hundreds of miles away in Jacksonville after hearing that he was wanted. Authorities say he turned out to have no connection to the case.

"I'm sure she'll be facing some charges," said Alvarez. Police declined to give further details on her involvement.

In the hours after the shootings, dozens of officers descended on the area. They could be seen drawing their guns as they briefly surrounded a house and then moved on. They also searched through a garbage truck as others scoured a grassy area on foot. Police were stopping vehicles in the area and searching through them. A federal government helicopter buzzed overhead.

Authorities had offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to Labeet's arrest. It is not immediately clear if that reward money will be paid out to anyone.

Cutler Bay is a suburb southwest of downtown Miami. Several schools in the area were locked down due to the search. Parts of Florida's Turnpike were briefly shut down and residents of the apartment complex where the shootings took place were not allowed into their homes.

"It's a pretty good neighborhood. I never see the police at nobody's house. This is something that just happened," said Mae Haynes, 61, who lives in the neighborhood.

The attacks Thursday followed the separate shootings of two sheriff's deputies last month in Broward. One was killed and officials are still looking for suspects. The other deputy was badly injured and the accused shooter is in jail in the case.