FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A dramatic scene unfolded in Fort Lauderdale after a carjacking led to a SWAT situation on Monday morning.
According to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, officers responded to a carjacking that occurred in the 1200 block of Northeast 11th Avenue. Around 4 a.m., police spotted the victim’s vehicle near Northwest 13th Street and Powerline Road, a few minutes later.
Neighbors said the victim was left badly beaten before the carjacker took off with his vehicle.
The SWAT team responded after the suspect barricaded himself inside the car following a police pursuit that ended at Northeast 13th Street and Fourth Avenue.
Around 7 a.m., live video footage showed the vehicle boxed in by Fort Lauderdale Police SUVs and SWAT officers searching the car with their weapons out.
It is not yet clear what authorities were looking for or if they found anything.
A view from another angle also showed a hole in the driver-side rear window of the car, which may indicate someone shot something into it or someone shot out of the car.
“This is normally a very quiet neighborhood,” said Chuck Marcelo. “You know, a lot of police cars just zoomed by here. I never really thought much of it, and then this morning I heard that they had some kind of a carjacking.”
Officials said the victim of the carjacking sustained injuries and was transported to Broward Health Medical Center.
“I do know that this particular corner here, where evidently something happened, the light’s been off for a long time,” said Marcelo. “I’ve contacted FPL that this is a busy intersection, and they need work on it.”
Witnesses said they heard a loud noise before the carjacking. One man said the man authorities arrested may be the same criminal that almost stole his car months ago.
“About a month and a half ago, someone tried to steal my car from my house in the middle of the morning, sometime between 9 a.m. and noon,” said Matt Waseilewski. “They failed. They tried to drill the ignition out of the key and they failed.”
Waseilewski hoped the man police took into custody in this incident was the same person who tried to steal his car.
Police confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.
Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or the condition of the victim, as they continue to investigate.
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