FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Fort Lauderdale police fatally shot a homicide suspect from Port St. Lucie on Tuesday, authorities confirmed.
According to police, the suspect was found Tuesday morning driving a silver Dodge RAM pickup truck, but he sped away after officers tried to conduct a traffic stop.
“Our officers located the subject, a brief pursuit ensued, thereafter the subject stopped in this area and engaged our police officers, and our officers took the action that they felt was necessary to defend themselves,” Police Chief Patrick Lynn said.
Police said the suspect crashed into a number of unoccupied cars and a pedestrian during the chase in the 800 block of Northwest Seventh Street. A Fort Lauderdale Police Department spokesperson said medics took the pedestrian, identified only as an adult male, to Broward Health Medical Center in critical condition.
The shooting occurred in the area of Northwest 15th Avenue and Seventh Street.
“We heard a whole bunch of gunshots — pa pa pa pa pa,” Lissette Sanchez, who works in the area, said.
The suspect, who was shot by several officers, was transported to Broward Health Medical Center, where he died.
“It sounded like Vietnam in a way, it was just going off,” a neighbor, who did not wish to be identified, said.
Police identified him as 38-year-old Manuel Sanabria. Investigators with Port St. Lucie police said it was just after 7 p.m. Monday that Sanabria was involved in a fatal shooting in which a man was killed inside of a vehicle.
Police said the suspect then fled in his silver Dodge Ram truck.
“We received information that a white male subject operating a silver gray pickup truck was wanted for a homicide out of Port St. Lucie,” Lynn confirmed.
Labrent Grey says that pedestrian Sanabria hit was his cousin, Fred Hall, the owner of Willie’s Auto Body Shop.
“He’s still alive,” Grey said. “That’s the most important part.”
Witnesses said Hall was working on a vehicle at the time of the crash.
“He was on the other side of the vehicle up against the wall, so when he got hit, he got crushed into it but luckily he was able to get out,” Sanchez said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating, per standard protocol.