MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have arrested a man following reports of shots fired near an elementary school and a synagogue in Miami Beach.
Miami Beach Police responded to the scene near West 41st Street and Chase Avenue at around 6 p.m., Wednesday.
“Within seconds, we had officers on the scene,” Miami Beach Police spokesperson Ernesto Rodriguez said. “They actually encountered the armed male. They showed tremendous restraint and being able to take this man into custody.”
According to police, 34-year-old Eddie Reed was arrested after a single shot was fired, and they recovered a firearm.
“That firearm that was recovered at the scene on that subject is actually reported stolen out of the City of Miami during a previous crime,” Rodriguez said. “They were able to talk to him, talk him down — were able to then arrest him without injury.”
Still shot of a cuffed man in @MiamiBeachPD custody following a shooting in near 41St Street and Chase Ave. This is close to Temple Beth Sholom and North Beach Elementary. 41st still closed during active police scene. @wsvn #7News pic.twitter.com/k1g82nMapa
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) November 7, 2019
Rare sight in Mid Beach: Police searching within and around the grounds of North Beach Elementary hours after a single shot was fired. A man with a gun was taken into custody. Nobody was hurt, but 41st Street at Chase Ave remains closed. @wsvn @MiamiBeachPD pic.twitter.com/1LUo8A6qXQ
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) November 7, 2019
Reed faces multiple gun charges including discharging a firearm in public and exhibiting a firearm on school property.
No injuries were reported, police said.
According to Miami-Dade County Public Schools, nearby North Beach Elementary School was placed on a brief lockdown, which has since been lifted. Temple Beth Sholom is also located near the scene.
Even though Reed eventually surrendered, at first, he refused to cooperate with responding officers with the firearm still in his hand.
“This absolutely could have had a much different ending, and I think the main reason it didn’t is because officers were there within seconds,” Rodriguez said. “The officers were giving several loud commands to him, ordering to put that gun down. He refused all of those.”
7Skyforce HD hovered over the scene where police could be seen searching the area using flashlights.
7News cameras captured a bullet that had been left in the side of a building.
A law enforcement source said the shooter did not appear to be aiming at anybody, either on the synagogue’s property or the elementary school’s property, based on where the bullet ended up.
Detectives and K-9 units could be seen searching for evidence near the school.
Police closed 41st Street at Prairie and Meridian avenues while they investigated the scene. However, the roadways reopened at around 9:30 p.m.
Investigators reviewed body camera video of the responding officers during the incident, Thursday afternoon.
Police have not released the body camera video, but they said the decision to reason with Reed is what saved lives.
“I’ve seen that body camera video,” Rodriguez said. “You know, it’s not just yelling and screaming. The officer chose a different tone, was speaking to that subject, which I think ultimately led to this outcome.”
Reed said to investigators during questioning that he did not remember firing the gun.
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