Hallandale Police on Friday identified a robbery suspect who was fatally shot by authoriites.
Eduardo Prieto, 32, from Hialeah, was killed Thursday afternoon. He was listed as a sexual offender on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement website.
Prieto had tried to take merchandise from a WalMart in Hallandale Beach with a knife and gun, authorities said.
"We heard all of these shots," Susan Bordas said. "Everybody was hitting the floor."
His attempted escape ended about a mile away at Acquolone, where according to a police spokesperson, multiple police officers were forced to shoot the suspect as he got out of his getaway Lexus sports utility vehicle.
"All of a sudden, someone said "get down" then we heard shots," customer Lillian Katzin said. "All I could think of was these recent shootings."
Katzin said that's when panic ensued inside.
"I didn't know if someone came in and they were shooting. I didn't know if it was outside," Katzin said. "I didn't know anything."
After things calmed down and every customer inside was questioned, they were allowed to go home.
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A Hallandale police spokesperson said they are still investigating whether or not the suspect fired his weapon, but are maintaining they were forced to shoot.
