MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have provided new details about a weekend shooting in the heart of South Beach’s entertainment district that left a man dead and prompted city officials to take steps in an attempt to stop the spring break chaos.
Friday night’s shooting on Ocean Drive and Seventh Street set the sad tone for a bloody spring break weekend in Miami Beach.
Wednesday night, Miami Beach Police said they believe this incident, the first of two shootings to take place over the weekend on Ocean Drive, could have been carried out in self-defense.
Cellphone video capturing the aftermath of the incident showed a man surrendering to officers.
Although he was taken into custody, police said, 23-year-old Lawarren Meadows was not arrested.
Detectives said Meadows shot and killed 21-year-old Idahosa Osagie and also shot another person.
According to the police report, “As officers approached to render aid, Lawarren Omeal Meadows (subject) approached [the officer] and said, ‘It was me.’ When the officer asked, ‘What do you mean it was you,’ the subject admitted to shooting the victim.”
Meadows was handcuffed and taken in for questioning. The report states, “The subject made spontaneous statements saying that someone pulled a gun on him, forcing him to defend himself.”
7News was told on Wednesday that the case is still under review by Miami Beach Police and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
The revelation comes days after a second shooting, this time near Ocean Drive and 10th Street, that prompted city officials to enforce a curfew from midnight to 6 a.m., early Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the city is bracing for yet another crowded weekend.
“We had two deaths in two days,” said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.
City commissioners on Monday voted against enforcing another curfew this weekend. Instead, they chose to close South Beach liquor stores at 6 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.
The move enraged small business owners like Jorge Zubigaray, the owner of Gulf Liquors on Alton Road and 17th Street, who has filed a lawsuit against the city.
“I don’t consider it fair shutting me down ’cause I sell liquor when the issue is on Ocean Drive,” said Zubigaray.
There will be sobriety checkpoints on Fifth Street and Meridian Avenue this weekend.
Wednesday night, the Miami Beach Fraternal Order of Police said they want a midnight curfew enforced next year during spring break and Memorial Day weekends.
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