FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies are seeking a suspect they say carjacked a paratransit bus after at least one deputy opened fire on him Friday morning near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, authorities confirmed.
Deputies announced early Friday evening that they were seeking 33-year-old Leandro Fernandez Sanchez in connection to the incident.
BSO authorities confirmed Tuesday evening that the stolen Paratransit TOPS Bus was located and unoccupied on President’s Day Weekend in Miami-Dade County.
WANTED: BSO detectives are looking for Leandro Fernandez Sanchez. He is wanted in connection with this morning’s deputy-involved shooting and carjacking of a shuttle bus. Anyone with info should not approach the suspect,rather call Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477). https://t.co/LdkQts3opj pic.twitter.com/izBYPisjA9
— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) February 17, 2023
According to BSO spokeswoman Claudinne Caro, the shooting occurred just before 5 a.m. near the 1400 block of Perimeter Road in Fort Lauderdale.
Sources told Local 10 it all started in the rental car center of the airport.
Local 10 News reporter Annaliese Garcia was at the scene as a silver sedan was seen riddled with bullet holes.
Caro said after the shooting, the suspect carjacked a Broward County shuttle bus, removing the bus driver and then fleeing the scene.
No passengers were onboard the bus at the time, Caro said.
According to Caro, deputies are still searching for the suspect.
Anyone with information about Fernandez Sanchez is asked to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477) or online at browardcrimestoppers.org.
Caro said the circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, as is standard protocol during shootings involving law enforcement officials in the state.