4 Armed Robbers In Custody After Chase, Manhunt & Police-Involved Shooting
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Four young armed robbers are in custody after a chase and a police-involved shooting that left one of them wounded.
"They were on a crime spree and they were looking to commit another armed robbery in Hialeah when we caught up to them," said Hialeah police spokesperson Zogby.
Zogby, the executive assistant to the chief of police in Hialeah, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "We can announce that four armed suspects are in custody. They were wanted for at least two armed robberies in a week."
Zogby said three of those arrested are juveniles.
There were some tense moments for hours as police set up a perimeter to search for a fourth suspect who got away.
Zogby said residents were urged to stay indoors during the search and call 911 if they think they saw the suspect.
"He could be armed and dangerous," Zogby said prior to the arrests.
Resident Stephanie Sanchez said, "They have been going door to door and searching house to house and searching in back yards. I have a son and he is pretty young and it was pretty scary for this neighborhood."
Neighbor Joey Padilla added, "I was shocked to know that this was happening here, especially just after 4 a.m. I was really surprised at the age of these suspects. I didn't think they were capable of doing something like that."
Zogby said it all started when one of his officers spotted a suspicious car around 4 a.m. and ran the tag. It came back it was taken during a carjacking on January 3rd. When the officer tried to pull the driver, he sped off.
The chase went into Miami Lakes where the driver and his passengers bailed out in the area of NW 89th Avenue and 153rd Terrace. That's where a street sign was mowed down.
Zogby said an officer fired on one of the suspects, hitting the him multiple times.
The 18-year-old, identified as Daniel Placide, was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he was treated and then released to Hialeah police.
Two other suspects, who are 16 and 17 years old, were also taken into custody.
"The fourth suspect was able to get out of the perimeter, but with the help of Miami-Dade police we were able to apprehend him at his home where he made it," said Zogby. "We were able to identify him and pick him up."
A Miami-Dade police helicopter, police K9 officers and a SWAT team assisted in the search.
Zogby said a search of the stolen vehicle turned up two firearms.
"Two guns were found in their stolen vehicle," said Zogby. "We don't know if more guns were dumped when they ran away, but we know that four dangerous felons are off the street. Now they face serious charges including armed robbery and fleeing and eluding police."
Zogby said the suspects did not live in Miami Lakes.
"We believe they came here and got lost," he said. "They ended up very far away from East Hialeah. They drove erratically and they got lost."
The police-involved shooting will be investigated by Hialeah police, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office and the FDLE, which is standard procedure.
Zogby said the officer will be given three days leave, which is also protocol after such incidents.