MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A cellphone camera captured a standoff between police officers and an alleged armed robber in Miami Beach.
A standoff between police and Pedro Madrazo-Rojo, the alleged armed robber, happened in the area of Michigan Avenue and Sixth Street at around 9:30 a.m., Thursday.
The encounter between police and Madrazo-Rojo took place not far from a Publix Supermarket he is accused of robbing.
“Drop the knife!” officers could be heard yelling in the cellphone video.
Cops stop an accused armed robber with a large knife they say robbed @Publix this AM on South Beach. Nobody hurt. @wsvn #Exclusive pic.twitter.com/WhxGg85tjj
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) December 12, 2019
Miami Beach Police Sgt. Alex Torres, who has been on the force for over 15 years, was the first to spot the accused robber in an alley.
“I determined it was him because he was holding a large knife in his hand. [It was] about this long,” Torres said while showing 7News cameras. “It’s not our first rodeo.”
According to police, Madrazo-Rojo allegedly stole $50 in groceries from the Publix and threatened the store’s managers with a knife once confronted.
Torres said upon seeing officers with their guns drawn and giving commands, the man “starts pounding his chest with the weapon and tells me that he’s not going jail, that he’d rather die.”
That’s when, Torres said, his crisis intervention training kicked in.
“Listen, we want to take you to the hospital, get you help,” Torres said he told the man.
The blade was eventually dropped, an officer kicked it away and Madrazo-Rojo was taken into custody without any injuries.
Here’s the moment @MiamiBeachPD police successfully take down an accused armed robber. He’s accused of having just robbed Publix with a large knife. No injuries. @wsvn pic.twitter.com/FLQ9Nf8hNt
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) December 12, 2019
Jared Ruschmann, a photographer, heard the commotion from inside his home and began recording the standoff.
“I kinda kept a low profile,” he said. “Just being a photographer, I kept filming.”
Ruschmann watched as Madrazo-Rojo surrendered and was taken into custody.
Police said he kicked an officer at Miami Beach Police headquarters once he was brought into custody.
Mugshot and charges of the man police say pulled a large knife on managers while walking out of Publix w/$50 in stolen groceries. He’s also accused of kicking @MiamiBeachPD after being cuffed. @wsvn #Exclusive pic.twitter.com/iYkko5pMaQ
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) December 12, 2019
Madrazo-Rojo was taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
He faces charges of armed robbery and battery on a police officer.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.