HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Two people have been hospitalized after a shooting near a Hollywood middle school, which then led to a police-involved shooting in Miramar.
Hollywood Police responded to a parking lot near Apollo Middle School, located along the 6800 block of Arthur Street, at around 4 p.m., Wednesday.
According to a 7News source, there was a dispute that occurred near the vehicle while a woman was waiting for her son at a parking lot near the school. The suspect then bit the victim in the face and fled the scene, the source said.
“At approximately 4 p.m., officers of the Hollywood Police Department received a 911 call in reference to a battery,” Hollywood Police spokesperson Christian Lata said. “While the victim was on the phone with 911, the call taker heard multiple gunshots in the background, and officers very quickly responded to the scene.”
While police were en route to the scene, the suspect returned to the school and fired several shots, striking the woman, according to a source.
“I walked over there, and the lady was in her car with a bullet wound to the neck,” a witness added.
When officers arrived, they rendered aid to the victim. The young child in the car at the time of the shooting was not injured, police said.
Paramedics transported the victim to Memorial Regional Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.
Family of the victim told 7News off camera that she had a relationship at some point.
7Skyforce HD captured a tent over a dark-colored sedan parked outside of the school. The car was later towed away from the scene that night.
A Broward County Public Schools spokesperson said the school was placed under a code red lockdown as a precaution.
“One of the kids could’ve been shot today,” a passer-by said.
“You don’t come here to fight,” a second passer-by said. “It is crazy.”
The source added that the suspect left the scene again, and he was located around three miles away in Miramar.
“You have the kids in the school, and then trouble like that happening, it’s scary, especially what’s going on right now, it’s scary,” a third passer-by said.
Police said officers and K-9 units made contact with the suspect along the 7800 block of Panama Street, who then fled to a surrounding neighborhood.
Aerial cameras captured a police officer holding a handgun while taking cover behind a car in the neighborhood.
After the officers made contact with the suspect again along Orleans Street, they saw that he was armed with a gun.
“Gunshots,” a man near the scene said. “About four or five shots. Rapid.”
After finding the suspect for a second time, police said an officer-involved shooting occurred involving only Hollywood Police officers.
“Officers of the Hollywood Police Department, along with a K-9 unit, made contact once again with that suspect, who, at this point, was armed with a gun, and an officer-involved shooting occurred,” Lata said. “The officers on scene rendered aid to the suspect, and he was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in critical condition.”
Residents in the neighborhood said they did all they could to stay out of the officers’ way.
“Follow instructions and get off the road,” a witness said.
It remains unknown how many officers were involved in the shooting.
According to Miramar Police, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the incident.
Police have yet to release the names of the victim and the alleged shooter.
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