NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A 36-year-old man is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, after allegedly shooting at a police cruiser with an officer inside.
North Miami Beach Police said the suspect, Evan Polinski, walked over and shot at the front tire of a police cruiser just before 2 a.m. Wednesday.
The officer was parked outside the Kabbalah Jewish Community Center located at 2725 NE 163rd Street but law enforcement was the target.
Surveillance video captures a man dressed in black walking across. 44 seconds later, he is seen shooting at the police cruiser’s front tire and then taking off running. The officer inside the cruiser gets out to confront him.
“You can see him running in the direction of the marked police vehicle, armed with a firearm, and appears to racket several times as to get a round inside the firearm, which makes this crime premeditated,” said Major Juan Pinillos, North Miami Beach Police.
Police report Polinski was intoxicated four times over the legal alcohol limit.
“You can imagine the type of intoxication impairment he had,” said Pinillos.
After the shooting, Polinski allegedly took off and then crashed a white Chevy into another vehicle a few miles away near the Golden Glades interchange.
North Miami Beach Police received help from Miami-Dade Police Department to take Polinski first into custody and then to a hospital.
“To be blatant and do this in such a matter was targeted and completely unacceptable,” said Pinillos. “By the grace of God, this was, we talking about a point-blank reach and it could have gone the other way.”
City leaders are grateful the officer is OK.
“We are all relieved that he [officer] is not physically harmed and we look forward into welcoming him back to work as soon as he is ready,” said Mario Diaz, North Miami Beach City Manager.
“It could have gone the other way,” said Pinillos. “We are grateful he’s alive.”
According to police, Polinski has previously been arrested and charged with a DUI back in 2017 but now faces more serious charges including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
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