The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating after a machete-wielding man who was involved in a violent domestic dispute with his brother was shot by a Miami-Dade Police officer Monday evening.
The incident happened just after 6:30 p.m. in the 8500 block of Southwest 41st Terrace.
MDPD said officers were called to the domestic dispute involving two brothers. One of the brothers, 56-year-old Richard Fernandez, was armed with a machete, according to police. The injured brother, Alejandro Fernandez, tells NBC 6 that he and his brother had been in the home drinking when Richard attacked him, leaving cuts on his hand and smashing glass inside his home.
Investigators said as a female officer approached Richard, he ignored the officer's verbal commands and lunged towards her, forcing her to fire her weapon.
He was transported to the hospital, where he underwent surgery and was listed in critical condition.
Alejandro Fernandez tells NBC 6 that his brother Richard has a violent criminal history and was released from prison in 2014 after serving a more than 20-year sentence. He also says both he and Richard suffer from bipolar disorder and that they reside with their mother at her home.
The officer who fired the shot is a seven-year veteran of MDPD. She was not injured during the incident.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.
