Miami Beach Police officer shot in leg by friendly fire during arrest on Venetian Causeway
MIAMI BEACH — The public was asked to avoid the Venetian Causeway after a police officer was reportedly shot in the leg by another officer during an arrest on Saturday afternoon.
According to a social media post shared by Miami Beach Police right before 1 p.m., the agency stated that people should avoid the area due to "police activity."
Update #1: We are currently at the scene of a shooting investigation involving an MBPD police officer. The officer is stable and alert. The investigation is ongoing. Please continue to avoid the area. https://t.co/swqqnvMDC0
— Miami Beach Police (@MiamiBeachPD) March 2, 2024
In an X quote, MBPD provided an update, stating they're investigating a shooting that involved one of their officers; however, they asked for people to avoid the area at the time of the investigation.
In a video obtained by CBS News Miami, the moments after the officer was shot in the leg, a man was shown pinned to the ground by two officers trying to restrain him.
MBPD told CBS News Miami's Nikiya Carrero that City of Miami Police contacted their department about a possibly armed suspect heading towards Miami Beach on the Causeway. It was at that moment when the two officers tried to stop the suspect, leading to the struggle that ended with one officer shooting another.
The officer shot was taken to Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
MBPD confirmed in a later X post that the incident was not related to spring break and that there was no current threat to the community at the time.
In a request for further comment Sunday, MBPD stated that investigators concluded that no formal charges were warranted against the suspect as it was later revealed they were experiencing a mental health crisis and transported to a local medical facility for evaluation.
"Our top priority remains the prompt recovery of the injured officer, who is in great spirits," the agency added.