Teen Wounded, Two Others In Custody In Miami-Dade Police-Involved Shooting
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A teen was shot and two others are in custody after a wild series of events that included a car chase and police-involved shooting in Southwest Miami-Dade.
The situation prompted two Miami-Dade public schools, Pine Villa Elementary and Mays Conservatory of the Arts, to be locked down.
Miami-Dade police were scouring a neighborhood near SW 224th St. and SW 115th Ave. looking for one of the suspects.
They said the incident started when officers stopped a white, four-door KIA that had been taken in a carjacking last week. The vehicle took off and then stopped. That's when a 15-year-old bailed out and took off running, according to Miami-Dade Police detective Marjorie Eloi.
"He brandished a weapon and shots were fired," Eloi told CBS4's Peter D'Oench. "That suspect was taken into custody."
The vehicle then took off again. It stopped near SW 224th St. and 112th Ave. Both suspects inside it bailed out and started running in different directions, according to police.
"The subject brandished a firearm and shots were fired and the subject was hit," said Eloi.
That suspect was taken to Kendall Regional Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.
Eloi said police were justified in this shooting. She said those who fired were a female officer with three years of experience and a male officer with 13 years of experience.
"The officers were confronted by people with firearms and for their own safety they fired at them," said Eloi.
Eloi said police have recovered two firearms.
The sentiments were echoed by John Rivera, the president of the Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association which is the union that represents officers.
Rivera told D'Oench, "Once again, Peter, we see how violent the streets are. This could have taken lives. That God the police did a beautiful job and no one was hurt. But I have been saying this for a long time. The streets are more dangerous than ever."
Neighbors said they were alarmed.
"I heard a lot of shots," said neighbor Laverne Woods. "It's dangerous. I was scared. I have grandkids who play outside a lot."
Lawrence Glover, who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years, said, "It is just a bad situation. Young kids today they are doing things they should not be doing. And the first thing they turn to is weapons. Kids today don't take life that seriously."
Neighbor Willie Small said, "I heard shots, 6 shots. And this just happens too much."
Miami-Dade Police have not said what charges the three youngsters face.
This is the second of three police-involved shootings on Wednesday.
The first shooting involved a Florida Highway Patrol trooper conducting a traffic stop.
Then, early Wednesday night, an undercover Miami-Dade police officer was forced to fire during drug sting operation.