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Hialeah cop shoots driver after pursuit of stolen vehicle, authorities say

HIALEAH, Fla. ā€“ Authorities have identified a driver who was hospitalized Tuesday night after Hialeah police said one of their officers shot him following the pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

Police identified the suspect Wednesday as 39-year-old Lester J. Ramirez Rodriguez.

Lt. Eddie Rodriguez, a spokesperson with the Hialeah Police Department, said officers conducted the traffic stop on a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Sweetwater and was traveling near the intersection of West 12th Avenue and West 29th Street, around 9:15 p.m.

Upon spotting the vehicle and trailing it to a red light, an officer exited his patrol car and attempted to execute a felony traffic stop.

Video surveillance obtained by Local 10 News shows the moment police officers were conducting the traffic stop and a confrontation with Ramirez Rodriguez occurred, which led to the officer firing his weapon and striking him in the wrist and shoulder.

Authorities said Ramirez Rodriguez suffered a non-life threatening injury and was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Rodriguez confirmed per the police departmentā€™s policy, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

Despite attempts to reach out to Rodriguezā€™s family for comment on his involvement in the officer-involved shooting, no response was received when Local 10 News visited his home.

Further investigation into Rodriguez revealed a lengthy criminal record, including multiple traffic convictions and grand theft charges. Having served time for previous offenses, Rodriguez now faces charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and grand theft, landing him back behind bars.

As of Wednesday, he is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond has not yet been determined.


About the Authors
Ryan Mackey headshot

Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born in Long Island, New York, and has lived in Sunrise, Florida since 1994.

Annaliese Garcia headshot

Annaliese Garcia joined Local 10 News in January 2020. Born and raised in Miami, she graduated from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism. She began her career at Univision. Before arriving at Local 10, she was with NBC2 (WBBH-TV) covering Southwest Florida. She's glad to be back in Miami!

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