Halloween Scare After Non-Contact Officer Involved Shooting Near Dadeland Mall
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami-Dade Police Department is investigating a police-involved shooting Monday night very close to Dadeland Mall.
"What's sad now is that everything's closed down. The kids can't go out trick-or-treating," said witness Virginia Schroer.
The Halloween scare happened at around 7:15 p.m. after two officers spotted a stolen four-door Cadillac near 82nd Avenue and Bird Road.
"They saw the vehicle and did a routine check of the tag and they realized the tag was stolen. They attempted to stop the vehicle and that's when the vehicle refused to stop," explained Miami-Dade police spokesperson Det. Alvaro Zabaleta. "Once the vehicle pulled in to that parking spot, it reached a dead end. Officers got off the vehicle, attempted to approach it. That's when the suspect at that point put the vehicle in reverse and attempted to try to get away, striking two other vehicles that are parked."
Shots were then fired but the vehicle continued to flee.
Police said the 20-year-old man then ditched the car in the area of 72nd Avenue and 84th Street and fled on foot.
A woman said she spotted the man hiding in the bushes and directed police to where he was.
"The police officer kept saying to me, 'Where?' And I said, 'To your right, to your right. There's a man in the bushes.' And I saw the cops go in the bushes, and then I saw like 12 cops just running, and I knew at that point they probably had him."
Authorities took the man into custody, but have not released his identity.
If you have information that can help police, please contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
