NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - New video provided by local talk show host Andy Slater captured the heart-stopping moment a driver opened fire at another driver along Interstate 95 in Northwest Miami-Dade.
The dashcam video shows one of the motorists as he traveled southbound in a black SUV near Northwest 151st Street, June 21, at around 7 a.m.
The video clip starts with the man, identified as Eric Popper, singing. At the time of the incident, he was a civilian fire inspector with Miami Beach Fire Rescue.
Investigators said Popper cut off another driver.
“On, my God,” he is heard saying in the video.
At that point, the victim honked his horn behind him.
“[Expletive] off,” Popper is heard saying in the video.
Detectives said Popper slammed his brakes.
Authorities said the other driver, who was behind the wheel of a light-colored Toyota Camry, tailgated Popper’s SUV and did some hand gestures out his window.
Popper is then seen pulling out a handgun from the center console as he keeps looking to the back.
Through the passenger front side, the Camry is seen traveling to the right of the SUV, and that’s when Popper opened fire. He ended up firing several shots through the front windshield, at one point flinching and slumping down on the driver’s seat.
Detectives said Popper fired his gun 11 times and claimed he came under fire before he discharged his firearm.
But the driver of the Camry told investigators he threw a water bottle at Popper’s SUV and did not have a gun on him.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said no other occupants were inside the vehicles at the time.
Troopers said Popper pulled over, contacted authorities and stopped at a gas station. The driver of the Camry pulled over at a shopping plaza off Northwest 119th Street, where he also contacted authorities.
7News cameras captured the SUV and the Camry with several bullet holes.
Popper later turned himself in to authorities, resigned from his job and now faces several charges. He handed over the dashcam video.
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