HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - One person is dead after a police-involved shooting in Hollywood.
According to Hollywood Police, the situation began after officers from both Hollywood and Miami police departments went to serve a search warrant at a home along Flagler Street and South 57th Avenue, Wednesday morning.
Officers were searching for a suspect in connection to the death of 27-year-old Netrievae White, who was killed in Miami on Aug. 23.
While serving the warrant, officials said, shots were fired. The suspect was shot and pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
“Today at approximately 9 a.m. this morning, the Hollywood Police Department assisted the City of Miami Police Department with executing a search warrant in reference to a homicide that occurred in the City of Miami,” said Hollywood Police spokesperson Miranda Grossman. “Our SWAT team conducted the search warrant, shots were fired. The suspect did sustain injuries and was transported to [Jackson] Memorial Hospital here in Hollywood. The suspect is deceased.”
The suspect’s mother, who was at the scene, identified him as 23-year-old James Leatherwood. She claims the officers went after the wrong guy.
“They’re saying that he’s involved in a crime and a murder that happened in Miami-Dade County,” his mother Chantel Reid said. “He was not involved in that murder, at all. There’s more information about it, but I’m not going to get into it because we’re going to get lawyers and everything to help with this case. They have the wrong information, they have the wrong person, they went into the wrong house.”
Leatherwood’s sister said police responded to her apartment and when she left this morning, her brother was in the bedroom.
“When I left to go take my son to school, he was sleeping,” his sister said.
A SWAT officer was seen shaking hands with a representative from the police union and their attorney.
According to the Police Benevolent Association, the SWAT member involved is a military combat veteran and has been with Hollywood Police for seven years.
That officer was placed on leave as investigators work the case.
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