Key Biscayne Attack Sets Off Manhunt
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – An early morning attack at a Key Biscayne home set off a police manhunt for a gunman and forced a school lockdown in the area.
"A black or dark-skinned male with a beard," said Key Biscayne Police Chief Charles Press. "And he is armed."
Officers were seen running at nearby Saint Agnes Academy, rifles in hand. Word of the attack quickly spread through the small, close-knit community through social media.
"There is a man with a gun on Key Biscayne. He just went into a friend's house and beat up a nanny and left. Please kept the doors locked," said neighbor Carolyn Kosen, reading from a text.
The Key Biscayne K-8 Center and Key Biscayne Community School were temporarily placed on lockdown as a precaution.
"As soon as I got the message I came here," said parent Maria Fuennamayor. "Images came flying through my head as soon as I heard it."
Police said on Friday, around 10 a.m., a man broke into a multi-story home at 110 Woodcrest Lane to burglarize the house.
A housekeeper caught him by surprise.
"She challenged the subject," said Chief Press. "The subject immediately attacked the worker and tied her up, and ransacked the home."
The housekeeper eventually broke free and ran to a neighbor's house for help. Within minutes, officers swarmed the area.
Key Biscayne Village Councilwoman Allison McCormick is neighbors with the home in question.
"It's an upsetting and startling thing because this type of thing doesn't typically happen," she said.
The owner of the house is Aabad Melwani, a family man who is President of the Rickenbacker Marina.
"Thank God no one was seriously injured and people are OK," McCormick added.
Although the suspect got away, police think the home surveillance video that got a good look at him will help catch him.
"To do this during the daytime, you have to know where you are at and know where you are going," said Chief Press.
One resident told CBS4 News, he'll be a lot more vigilant after this incident.
"Sometimes we're a little bit careless because this is such a secure community so I think we're going to be a lot more careful from now on," Dr. Eugenio Rothe. "We're going to make sure we lock the house, put on the alarm and we're going to talk to our neighbors."
The housekeeper described the man as having shiny shoes and some sort of uniform on, potentially a security uniform.
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
