MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that left a suspect dead outside a home in a Miami Gardens neighborhood.
7Skyforce HD flew over the scene at approximately 1:45 p.m. Monday where several fire trucks could be seen parked outside of a home in the area of Northwest 203rd Street and 23rd Avenue, near Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami-Dade Police said the suspect had two weapons, a rifle and a handgun on him.
Today, @MiamiDadePD Homicide Task Force and Intracoastal CST members encountered a dangerous individual and grave situation. I am grateful they survived and were not injured during the encounter. Skillful training and teamwork was in full display. #Blessed
— Juan Perez (@JPerezMia) May 21, 2019
Police said the shooting happened as officers were running surveillance and following up on leads on a weekend shooting.
“First thing I initially heard was one type of gun go, ‘Pop, pop, pop,’ and then another type of gun go, ‘Pop. Pop. Pop,'” a witness said.
The Miami Herald identified the suspect as 45-year-old Ronnie Churches.
Quenisa Calloway, Churches’ girlfriend, said he was on his way to go and sell a gun when bullets started flying.
“They were shooting back and forth at each other,” Calloway said. “Ronnie’s driver’s door was open. I could see his hand out shooting back at them. The car slowed down and stopped, and they were saying, ‘Put your hands up. Put your hands up.’ After they said that, I still heard gunshots.”
The Miami Herald reported that Churches had been suspected of shooting a man outside of an Opa-locka pawn shop on Northwest 27th Avenue, Sunday.
Police said the victim in that shooting, later identified as Roberto Cardenas, was shot in the face and taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition. He was later pronounced dead.
Calloway said Cardenas is her brother-in-law. She said Cardenas and Churches have known each other for a long time and shared video of the two men hanging out in March.
“I’m in the house, and they’re shooting at my boyfriend,” Calloway said. “I think they killed him, and I just want them to know I’m in the house. I’m not armed or anything.”
Despite the Herald’s report, police did not comment on whether Churches was a suspect in the Sunday shooting.
“No. At this time, we’re not able to release that information,” Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Erin Alfonso said.
During the surveillance, police said the suspect came out and started shooting at officers, forcing them to fire back.
According to the Herald, the shooting took place in front of his last-known address.
“We did not pull him over. He came out of wherever he was, he was armed, and he began firing on officers, and luckily, none of them were injured,” Alfonso said. “They got investigative leads that brought them to this area, whether from tips or other sources, so it brought them here.”
7News spoke with a family member of the suspect, but she did not confirm his identity.
“We’re not gonna discredit his character to the public,” the woman said. “They’re not gonna discredit his character to the media, but right now, my family … even though we know him, we know about him, but we’re not gonna go there, and I already knew where he was this morning when I got a call, and I should’ve went up there and just got him and put him in my car and just took him to Miami Gardens. He still probably would’ve been with us.”
A Toyota Prius riddled with bullet holes could be seen parked near the residence.
A high-powered rifle was also seen laying on the sidewalk near the sedan.
Because the shooting involved a police officer, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident.
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