Miami-Dade Cops Fire On Man With Pick Axe
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Miami-Dade police officer was forced to fire during a confrontation with a burglary suspect wielding a pick axe.
Around 9:30 p.m. Monday, police received a call about a man trying to break into a home on SW 10th Street just off LeJeune Road.
When officers arrived at the home they spotted a man holding a pick axe and noticed a car in front of house was badly damaged, its windows smashed. Neighbors identified the man as 41-year old Jason Obrien. Police would later find the back door and windows of home were also smashed presumably with the pickaxe.
When the officer repeatedly ordered Obrien to drop the pick axe, he refused. As the confrontation grew more heated, the officer shot Obrien.
A mother, her two children and two visitors were still inside the home at the time.
"I heard 6 gunshots. Like fireworks, like six firecrackers," said neighbor Henry Guerra. "It was crazy immediately the helicopters fire rescue a bunch of police officers."
Obrien was taken to the Ryder Trauma Center with what were described as serious injuries.
Neighbor said Obrien owns the home he was trying to break into. They said he had rented it out to a family and lives in a cottage behind it with his stepmother.
According to neighbors, the stepmother locked herself inside of the home during the violent outburst, afraid of what Obrien might do.
"I heard he's not mentally well," said neighbor Doris Quin.
Detectives told CBS4 Obrien does suffer from mental health issues and may have been drinking before the rampage.
The officer who fired the weapon and the family that was inside the home were not hurt.
The police have not released the name the officer who shot Obrien.
