MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Beach leaders blamed a weak link in the justice system for allowing a repeat violent offender to run free.
Wednesday’s news conference came amid the development that 35-year-old Christopher Pitre, a man accused of a slew of crimes, including pointing a gun at a Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine, is now on the run after he removed his ankle monitor while on house arrest.
“This guy is armed and dangerous,” said Miami Beach Police spokesperson Christopher Bess.
Officials said they thought their job was done when they arrested Pitre back in April. But now, with this latest turn of events, they have to track him down again.
“He’s not in jail. Now, we have to use police resources and try to find this person and pray to God that no one else gets hurt,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.
Officials said they are very concerned and frustrated with the situation.
“What you are looking at is an engine of crime,” said Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones. “A person that, when he walks the streets free, he’s victimizing folks. My entire team, investigation team, have been committed to finding him and apprehending him again.”
Leaders said they found out on Tuesday that Pitre was nowhere to be found after he disabled his ankle monitor.
Magazine spoke to 7News on Tuesday as he demanded answers from law enforcement officials on Pitre’s whereabouts.
“He could be fleeing back to Texas, he could be fleeing back to Alabama. He could be returning here to Miami Beach where he seemed to feel at home. I have no idea if this person is out here in our community,” said Magazine.
The commissioner said he came face-to-face with Pitre in early April when Magazine caught the suspect sleeping inside his vehicle in his building’s parking garage.
Surveillance video shows Magazine following Pitre out of the garage as he contacted police.
Moments later, the commissioner said, a bad situation got worse.
“And he turns around, gun’s already pulled,” he said.
Days after that April incident, Miami Beach Police found Pitre and arrested him.
“I got your guy here,” an officer said on body camera footage.
Officers attached a rash of other crimes, thefts and other offenses across Miami Beach to him.
“He terrorized this community for weeks on end,” said Magazine.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office said Pitre has 10 open felony cases, adding that the office was against releasing him into the community.
“Our prosecutor adamantly objected to the Court regarding him being released into our community. Despite our objections, the court granted the motion for release,” said a Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office spokesperson.
The judge who made that decision, Ariel Rodriguez, is prohibited by judicial ethics rules to comment on a pending case.
Miami Beach leaders said Wednesday that Pitre should’ve been kept behind bars.
“I mean, he had a long record, had a loaded weapon that he pointed, and we were talking about just a couple of months ago and yet now is somewhere out there and we don’t know,” said Meiner, “and now police are looking for him and, again, we’re praying that nobody gets hurt. I’m sure that judge is praying, too.”
But Pitre is far from the only arrestee released to get right back to committing crimes.
Miami Beach residents like Jo Manning appeared at Wednesday’s meeting to share her story of being accosted before her attacker was arrested and then released from jail.
“You could’ve smashed me down. He did apparently accost a woman,” said Manning. “He kept getting let out.”
Other residents who have witnessed repeat crimes, like Mitch Novick, showed up as well.
“I’ve seen endless crimes, from sexual assault, shootings,” said Novick.
Novick said he hopes officials start focusing on the issues that are going on in his area.
Those who appeared at the meeting also echoed Meiner’s criticism of the judge who let Pitre out.
“Let’s leave forgiveness to Jesus, OK? Let’s put these people where they belong,” said Manning.
Miami Beach Police said they are working with Miami-Dade Police and the Department of Corrections to try and track down Pitre.
7News sources said that the same court and judge that issued the release of Pitre has now signed an arrest warrant against him.
Police advise residents who spot Pitre to refrain from approaching him and instead contact 911 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.
If you have any information on Pitre’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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