MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Video obtained by Local 10 News shows a fatal trooper-involved shooting Tuesday night near the Golden Glades park-and-ride station in northwest Miami-Dade County.
The new cellphone video shows a white BMW appearing to veer into the path of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper.
Capt. Thomas Pikul, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, identified the trooper as Ronald Melendez-Bonilla and the driver as 32-year-old Latasha Walton.
Melendez-Bonilla can then be seen firing several shots before chasing after the car, which continues to inch forward.
Later in the video, it shows someone on the ground appearing to be placed into handcuffs.
Pikul said Melendez-Bonilla noticed a car driving erratically near the parking area around 7:30 p.m. and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Pikul said the Walton began to behave unusually causing Melendez-Bonilla to draw his weapon and stand in front of the vehicle. Walton then drove toward Melendez-Bonilla prompting him to fire his weapon several times, killing Walton, Pikul said.
Heather Romano, who witnessed the shooting, said she was unsure whether the car struck the trooper.
"I saw the cop fall to the ground," she said. "I don't know if he fell because he was moving out of the way too quick, because he was going to get hit."
Relatives said Walton leaves behind two sons, ages 10 and 16.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.