CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A man who is employed by the Miami-Dade Police Department was involved in an accidental shooting in Coral Gables Tuesday night that left him injured, Coral Gables police confirmed.
The incident was reported at Sushi Maki, located at 2334 Ponce De Leon.
Sources told Local 10 News that the person involved in the shooting is a police officer and has been working with the department for three years.
A Local 10 News crew was at the scene early Wednesday morning as there was a heavy police presence in the area.
According to Coral Gables police, the patron was treated at the scene by police and Coral Gables Fire Rescue personnel before being transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
A witness told Local 10 News that she watched several officers racing to the restaurant as they worked to find out what led up to the shooting.
“They kicked everyone out of the restaurant so that the only people who were there were the ones involved and the police officers and everyone,” said Sofia Betancur.
Coral Gables resident Ilene Gaines told Local 10 News that she feels someone should be held accountable after the accidental shooting.
“I am sad to say I am not that surprised to hear it but there should absolutely be some accountability,” she said.
Betancur told Local 10 News that the man was not awake at the time he was transported to a nearby hospital.
“He was being pulled out and being put in the ambulance,” said Betancur. “He had his eyes closed. He definitely wasn’t awake.”
“Another member of the same dinner party’s chair was struck by the bullet, but the person was not injured,” a news release from the police department stated. “Detectives from the Coral Gables Police Department are working with the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau, who will continue with the internal investigation of their employee.”