MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A new video has surfaced, Tuesday, showing a fatal police-involved shooting along Miami Beach.
The video shows 22-year-old Maryland native Cariann Hithon disobeying police, continuing to dangerously drive her black BMW after running a red light before running over a Miami Beach Police officer, Sunday. That’s when they felt the need to use lethal force to stop Hithon.
Police also released the name of Hithon’s passenger, 22-year-old Ryan Lucas. He was detained and questioned by police but not arrested.
Hithon’s father, Cary Hithon, said the two of them had high hopes for her future. “We had just had a conversation recently about the social ills of our society, you know, and how she was gonna be a lawyer, an attorney,” he said, “and I thought that she was gonna do great things for our society and our culture because she recognized and understood that there were so many social ills that we need to rectify.”
According to police, the driver hit two vehicles on Ocean Drive after she drove into on-coming traffic near 12th Street. She then took off and ran a red light.
She hit a third car and stopped for a moment. It was then that she tried to leave the scene but not before hitting Officer David Cajuso.
Cellphone video captured the moment that, witnesses said, the woman accelerated and ran over Cajuso. Moments later, gunshots could be heard in the background.
Another officer fired gunshots into Hithon’s car. She then crashed into another vehicle before officials were able to pull her out of the BMW.
“So everyone is like, ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ And people started running after her car,” said witness Miguel Garcia. “Like, she wanted to escape no matter what.”
Moments later, Garcia said, gunshots could be heard in the background. “It was like, ‘Pow! Pow! Pow!'” he said.
Witnesses captured officers performing CPR before Hithon was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital where she died.
The driver’s father said she was in town celebrating her birthday. “Some of us will never be able to understand it,” Cary said.
Cajuso was also hospitalized but is now recovering at home.
Miami-Dade Police continues to investigate the shooting.
The officer who opened fire has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
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