MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Authorities are investigating after several officers were shot at in southwest Miami-Dade, leaving behind a truck riddled with bullets.
The search for the shooter is ongoing.
According to authorities, the department’s South District Gang Unit, and the Homicide Bureau’s Street Violence Task Force were fired upon around 7:40 p.m. while they were conducting an investigation at the intersection of Evergreen Street and Homestead Avenue in West Perrine.
A large presence of law enforcement officers responded to the scene after multiple police vehicles were shot at.
Crime scene tape blocked off the area as officers set up a perimeter, searching for the gunman.
“We could’ve lost a life last night,” Miami-Dade police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said on Thursday.
According to police, police were about to execute a search warrant related to a homicide when an unidentified male approached the officers, pulled out a gun and open fired. Three unmarked units were hit by bullets. The officers who were shot at were in their vehicles at the time, and returned fire.
The subject then fled on foot, police said.
Authorities said no one was injured in the shootout.
A police chopper circled above, while down below detectives questioned witnesses, hoping to get a better description of the person they were searching for.
Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez took to Twitter, showing an unmarked police unit with four bullet holes in the driver-side door.
Another close call tonight as members of our Homicide Bureau’s Street Violence Task Force are fired upon while doing their job in South Miami-Dade. Thankfully, the Officers are ok but we need tips to identify the shooter(s). Call 305-471-TIPS or 9-1-1 if an emergency. pic.twitter.com/eh6niZjgUC
— Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III (@MDPD_Director) August 6, 2020
Police described the shooter only as a black male in his late teens or early 20′s.
“We’ve already had within a short time frame three incidents where our officers have been shot upon, and nothing gets as close as last night or last Friday,” Zabaleta said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
“Without the community’s help and joining together, we are not going to get this individual that’s extremely dangerous, brazen (and) willing to do anything to get away,” Zabaleta said.