MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach police officers and SWAT team members responded to an apartment building Monday night after a man barricaded himself inside a unit, and the police scene remained ongoing until early Tuesday when the man was finally detained.
The scene off Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street had been playing out since at least 11 p.m. Monday, according to witnesses.
Miami Beach police shut down the entire area as they worked to negotiate with the suspect, later identified as 36-year-old Jeffrey Taylor Wheatley.
He was ultimately brought out, it appears, without further incident, but crews had been yelling through a megaphone and trying to ram open the door.
Area residents told Local 10 News that this all started after Wheatley took issue with a family that was hanging out in the courtyard last night.
“He came in, flipped the table. I don’t want to say exactly what was going on because there was a lot of profanity involved, you know. But he pretty much flipped the table, it hit a girl – made the little girl’s leg bleed,” one witness said. “That’s when he started ranting and raving. He went upstairs and barricaded himself in. They had a negotiator speak to him. They just wanted to see his wellbeing, what was going on. They offered him food, cigarettes, anything. They had his phone number, they tried to text him numerous times. He would not respond to the texts. They tried to have his family speak with him – no response there. I’d say the negotiators came about three or four times, trying to speak with him. Finally they told him, ‘Hey, you know, just come out. Make it easy.’” I know they did hit the door numerous times, but he did barricade it. Finally they convinced him to put his hands up on the window. Once that was done, they grabbed him.”
Miami Beach police confirmed that they responded to the area after receiving a call about an altercation that occurred during a gathering and that a minor had been assaulted.
Police said Wheatley then barricaded himself inside his apartment unit.
“Responding officers established a perimeter and requested on-duty personnel from the Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) and SWAT. Negotiation attempts were made; however, the subject remained uncooperative,” Officer Christopher Bess said in an email.
Bess said a search warrant was eventually obtained and executed, at which time Wheatley was taken into custody.
Area residents told Local 10 News that police often respond to Wheatley’s home and that they regularly have issues with him.