MIAMI – A man was rushed to the hospital by rescue crews following an incident described by the police as an officer-involved shooting in Miami.
On Friday night, the City of Miami Police and Fire Rescue swiftly responded to the incident, which occurred in the vicinity of Northeast 79th Street and 10th Avenue.
According to investigators, they received a report about a man firing a firearm into the air.
A witness residing across from the scene stated that they heard numerous gunshots.
“I heard around 10 or 12 gunshots even before the police arrived,” said the anonymous witness, who preferred not to reveal their identity or appear on camera.
Upon arrival, the responding officers encountered an individual armed with an assault rifle outside of a vehicle.
“Units arrived shortly thereafter. They were able to approach the individual,” stated Miami Police Chief Manny Morales.
Detectives reported that an officer was compelled to use their firearm, striking the subject in the chest and stomach area just before 8 p.m.
“The subject was incapacitated, and a rifle was found at the scene,” said Morales.
Paramedics swiftly transported the injured subject to Ryder Trauma Center, where he is currently in critical condition.
Video footage displayed first responders wheeling the patient into the hospital, with one paramedic administering oxygen to the wounded man.
Investigators revealed that the subject resides near the location where the shooting occurred, in the 7800 block of Northeast Tenth Avenue.
The witness who spoke to 7News expressed shock at the accused actions of the man.
“It’s absolutely insane because innocent people live here, people work here every day, and some deranged person just arrives with a gun and starts shooting,” they said. “Someone could have been seriously injured.”
Video footage captured from a nearby balcony depicted numerous police cruisers rushing to the scene.
Authorities have temporarily closed off Northeast 79th Street between Eighth and Tenth Avenues while the investigation is underway. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will lead the investigation into the incident.
