Man accused of pointing gun at Miami Beach commissioner headed back to court
MIAMI — A man accused of pointing a gun at a Miami Beach City commissioner and escaping house arrest pleaded guilty before a South Florida judge Monday.
Christopher Pitre, 35, was wanted for removing his ankle monitor and escaping from a treatment facility while under the supervision of Miami-Dade County Corrections, Miami Beach Police said.
He was arrested back in April after authorities said he pointed a gun at Miami Beach Commissioner Joseph Magazine and stole a litany of items from cars and businesses across the city.
Pitre's escape prompted Miami Beach city officials to call for changes to the Miami-Dade County judicial system, with Mayor Stephen Meiner saying he wants the city to elect its own judges to handle crime.
Miami Beach Police shared on Saturday that Pitre was arrested following a theft incident at a Walgreens on 2000 Normandy Dr.
While investigating an unrelated crash, a Miami Beach Police officer saw a Walgreens employee following a man outside of the store while trying to take pictures of him with her cellphone. When she saw the officer, he asked her what was going on, to which she said the man — later identified as Pitre — left without paying $30.62 for merchandise, the arrest affidavit said. As the employee was explaining the situation, Pitre saw the officer and immediately ran, and a chase ensued.
Pitre continued to ignore police commands as the officer continued chasing him until cornering him at a nearby Mobil gas station with the help of other responding officers. Pitre was then ordered to get on the ground and officers handcuffed him without further incident.
The Walgreens employee then came to the gas station, where she confirmed to police that Pitre was the man who robbed from the store and had the stolen merchandise returned.
According to the affidavit, Pitre initially identified himself as "Christopher McMillan" to police before officers were able to officially confirm his identity. Once learning of the warrants out for his arrest, Pitre was taken into custody and booked into TGK.
He faces multiple new charges, including retail theft, resisting an officer without violence, using a false name/ID after arrest and nine alias capias warrants.
"The swift action taken by our officer today is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of the Miami Beach Police Department," Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne A. Jones stated. "Our officers remain highly visible and engaged within the community, ensuring that incidents like this are promptly addressed. I am proud of the amazing work our team continues to do to keep our city safe."