MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach police are investigating after they say a homeless man was shot early Monday morning.
The shooting was reported at 2:55 a.m. near 16th Street and Alton Road, just one block south of the Lincoln Road mall.
According to authorities, officers arrived at the scene to find a man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
The homeless man was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Unit, where he is listed in critical condition.
According to police, an unknown man ran north on Alton Road moments after the shooting.
Police later said they found and detained the person they believed to have pulled the trigger near the intersection of Alton Road and 15th Terrace. Officers said the man had a gun when they found him.
Officers shut down Alton Road for several hours as detectives and crime scene technicians searched the street for evidence, appearing to focus on an area near a public bus stop.
“That’s a popular bus stop -- this one and the one across the street,” Sarah Pike, who works nearby, said.
Pike said people always hang out near the bus stop, even late at night.
“So I actually woke up this morning, I heard the helicopters flying around and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’ And then as I got closer and closer, I noticed it was right outside of our store, so I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” Pike said.
Detectives later returned to the scene to search for possible surveillance video.
“Of course, it’s always sad to see someone being shot. You never know what could happen,” Pike said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.