FDLE Investigating Deadly Officer-Involved Shooting In NW Miami-Dade
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting that followed a stolen car chase in Northwest Miami-Dade Monday afternoon.
Jacqueline Machado and Jasmin Delasierra will not forget the sounds they heard when Miami-Dade police opened fire on a man who was driving a stolen car.
"It was like 'pop, pop, pop,'" said Delasierra.
It happened on NW 57th Avenue just south of 183rd Street.
Jani Mendez said police were pursuing a man in a Volkswagen.
"One car had left a dealership and had stopped at a light. Miami-Dade police were chasing," Mendez said.
Drivers in the area captured the shooting on their cellphones.
Police ordered the driver to get out and he would not.
"He told the driver get out of the car. He didn't do anything. He didn't get out of the car," Mendez said. "The other police officers came and told him to get out of the car and then they pulled out a baton and broke the window."
Mendez, who was standing across the canal from 57th Avenue, said she heard at least a half-dozen shots.
Police said the man who was shot was taken to a hospital where he later died.
They said he had stolen a car from a nearby dealership and was being pursued.
"Officers approached the vehicle and attempted to make contact. He refused to obey verbal commands and they produced a baton to smash the window and make contact," explained Miami-Dade Police Det. Robin Pinkard. "He began making verbal threats a the officers and shots were fired."
Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association President John Rivera told CBS4's Peter D'Oench two officers were forced to fire.
"This is a clear cut case of officers protecting their livestock to the fullest. There is no question about this one," he said. "Two officers approached the individual in the stolen vehicle and he was non-compliant and then he came out with a weapon on the officers. This was a deadly weapon. I can't share with you the type of weapon it was but I can assure you it was the type of weapon that can cause serious bodily injury and the officers were in fear for their lives."
Miami-Dade police the man driving the stolen car grabbed a machete and started threatening officers.
Rivera could not say how long the officers had been on the force.
Police have not released the name of the man driving the car.
Typically, after such shootings the officers are given administrative duties and taken off the street pending the preliminary outcome of the probe.