Reportedly armed Cuban migrants tasered on Florida beach
DANIA BEACH, Florida - About 200 people watched as Cuban migrants arrived on Dania Beach Sunday aboard a small, rusty boat just before sundown Saturday.
CBS Miami reports Hollywood Police, Florida Fish & Wildlife, Broward Sheriff's deputies and others helped the Coast Guard bring in 11 total migrants, some of them reported to have had weapons.
"From what I understand, when Coast Guard and FWC tried to approach the vessel offshore, there were knives onboard," said FWC Officer Tyson Matthews. "And they were holding those weapons to their stomachs and threatening to hurt themselves, it looked like."
The Coast Guard tried to divert the boat away from shore, but three of the migrants jumped into the shallow water.
One officer was forced to use his Taser when one of the migrants ran toward him.
"Shortly after the vessel made landfall, use of force was needed to subdue a few of them," said Ofc. Matthews. "I personally put one in handcuffs and we had many agencies involved there. It was quite chaotic."
As beach-goers looked on, the migrants were led away in handcuffs -- relieved smiles on their tired, sunburned faces.
"Thank God they are alive, they came to the freedom," said one local.
Authorities said that five of them were transported to the hospital. The others were taken later to be checked out before being turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.
It's unclear if the migrants will be able to stay in the U.S. under the "Wet Foot, Dry Foot" policy, or if they will be returned to Cuba.