WEST MIAMI, Fla. (WSVN) – A Miami-Dade Police officer was taken to the hospital after, investigators said, the officer suffered a gunshot wound during a police-involved shooting in West Miami.
Miami-Dade Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene in the area of the 2000 block of Southwest 67th Avenue at around 7 p.m., Tuesday.
According to police, the officer suffered a gunshot wound to the ear and was transported by another officer to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in good condition. He was discharged hours later with a bandage around his head.
“I would like to thank the JMH doctors here that were quick, steadfast and provided service to him, and also, the officers at the scene that were quick, responded and brought him here to the hospital in a safe manner,” Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez said. “I ask the community to please pray for him and his family. We have his back, and I expect the community to have his back, as well.”
Please keep our Officer in your prayers. I’m on the way to the hospital to check on him now! https://t.co/ozg51OYmW8
— Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III (@AFreddyRamirez) October 20, 2020
Police said their narcotics bureau, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were conducting an investigation at a nearby apartment complex.
“As detectives were in front of the door of the apartment, they were confronted with gunfire,” Miami-Dade Police detective Alvaro Zabaleta said. “The officers returned fire. Unfortunately, one of our detectives was struck in the ear.”
The subjects then barricaded themselves inside an apartment, and residents in neighboring units were cleared out.
“We were able to evacuate the people within the fifth floor, secure and make the residents safe and therefore, use our priority response teams, along with other resources, in order to try again to take control of the situation,” Zabaleta said.
Others were told to shelter in place as the Special Response Team and hostage negotiators were brought in.
Police have since taken four subjects into custody. One of the subjects suffered a gunshot wound and was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition, police said.
Maria DeMonte lives in the building and said she did not know what to think. At first, she heard a fire alarm, so she came outside to walk her dogs, only to find out she could not get back inside.
“The SWAT team came, a lot, a lot of police officers,” she said. “I did not understand. Like, I didn’t have too much time to process until I was in the street with my two dogs, no cellphone, nothing.”
The shooting remains under active investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Charges are pending against the four subjects connected to the officer-involved shooting.
Police have not released the identities of the subjects and the identity of the officer who was struck by the bullet.
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