3 men accused of impersonating police during Hialeah shooting

Victim shot outside home Saturday, police say

HIALEAH, Fla. – Three men are accused of pretending to be police officers during a shooting in Hialeah that left one man injured over the weekend, authorities said.

According to Hialeah police, officers were called to the 1400 block of West 29th Street shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday regarding a shooting.

Police said they found a man lying on the sidewalk in the back of the home with a gunshot wound to the chest.

According to an arrest report, officers were approached by a second victim who gave them a detailed description of the culprits' getaway vehicle, including that it had damage to the front, passenger side bumper.

Police said an officer spotted the vehicle and attempted to pull it over in the area of West 49th Street and Second Avenue.

From left: Yasmani Morgado, 27, Ceaser Miranda-Vega, 34, and Rene Del Toro, 49.

Authorities said the driver, Yasmani Morgado, 27, refused to stop and the front passenger, Ceaser Miranda-Vega, 34, tossed a short-barrel shotgun from the vehicle at the intersection of East Fifth Avenue and 49th Street.

According to the arrest report, Morgado stopped the car at Fifth Avenue and 47th Street, where he and his backseat passenger, Rene Del Toro, 49, were taken into custody. Police said Miranda-Vega fled the scene but was apprehended a short time later.

Police said the uninjured victim told detectives that he was standing in front of the other victim's home when Del Toro got out of the car, pointed a shotgun at him and demanded he walk toward the front door of the home.

Police said once they were in front of the door, Del Toro ordered the victim to get down on the ground. He said Del Toro and his accomplices began to yell, "Police!"

The uninjured victim told authorities that he saw Del Toro shoot the other victim.

A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue helicopter took the wounded man to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. His condition and identity have not been released.

Hialeah police Lt. Eddie Rodriguez said it appears the victim was being sought and targeted by the suspects. However, their motive remains unclear.

The suspects face numerous charges, including impersonating a police officer in the commission of a felony, attempted murder, burglary, kidnapping and aggravated assault with a firearm.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.