MIAMI – A man who was trying to get away from police officers on Saturday needed their help after jumping into a canal in Fort Lauderdale, police said.
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According to Casey Liening, a spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, police officers reported spotting a man who appeared to be wearing a bulletproof vest at about 9:25 a.m., in the area of East Cypress Creek Road, or Northeast 62 Street.
“The officer attempted to make contact with the male who did not comply and a short foot pursuit ensued,” Liening wrote.
After running away from an area near Northeast Seventh and Ninth Avenues, police officers reported the man jumped into a nearby canal.
“The male entered a canal in the area and refused to surrender to responding officers,” Liening wrote. “FLPD’s Dive Team was requested and assisted rescuing the male from the canal. The male was taken into custody and transported by FLFR to a nearby hospital as a precaution.”
Detectives believe the man was armed but he handed the gun to “a female” before he ran to the canal.
“The female was detained by responding officers and issued a Notice to Appear,” Liening wrote.
There was a police presence outside The Westin Fort Lauderdale, a hotel at Northeast Seventh Avenue, also known as Corporate Drive.
Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 to remain anonymous.
Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Joyce Grace Ortega and Reporter Joseph Ojo contributed to this report.