MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLa. – Two Miami-Dade Police Department officers were injured after they were stabbed by a suspect during an incident in northwest Miami-Dade Wednesday morning.
Officials said the officers had responded to a call from a home off Northwest 157th Street after receiving reports of a man making threats with a knife.
One officer suffered cuts to the right side of her neck and arm and was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in stable condition.
The second officer had lacerations on his left arm and was also transported to the hospital.
The man was taken into custody. He has been identified as 51-year-old Sylvester Thomas.
The call for help came from a woman who owns the home where the stabbing took place.
The woman said Thomas’ behavior was erratic in recent days, and late Tuesday night he made deadly threats.
According to the woman, he kept saying, “I’m going to kill you, I’m gonna kill everybody.”
“I heard the officer shout loud when I was outside, so I rushed and I called the police and said, ‘Um, I think they need help. Please come,’” the woman said.
The woman says Thomas is a longtime friend of her sister’s who she recently took in after he became homeless.
According to police, both of the officers are in stable condition.
Thomas is facing several felony charges that include attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.