Two Miami-Dade Police officers were rushed to the hospital and a suspect was killed after a shootout at a home in southwest Miami-Dade late Wednesday night, officials said.
The officers had responded to the home in the 22000 block of Southwest 162nd Avenue around 10:40 p.m. after receiving a call of a man squatting at the residence, Miami-Dade Police officials said.
As the officers approached the front door, they were confronted by a man armed with a shotgun, police said. The man shot at the officers and there was an exchange of gunfire.
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"Shots fired, shots fired! We've got officers down!" a man yells in a recording of a police dispatch call from the shooting.
One officer, a 35-year-old man, was struck in the arm and a second officer, 57, was struck in his arm and his face, officials said.
The officers were immediately transported to Ryder Trauma Center Jackson South by fellow officers.
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According to police, a third officer, a 40-year-old woman, was also transported for a medical evaluation.
The alleged gunman was struck during the exchange of gunfire and was pronounced dead at the scene by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. His identity hasn't been released.
Video showed the officers who were shot arriving at the hospital and being brought inside on gurneys.
Dozens of fellow officers and county leaders including Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Police Director Stephanie Daniels gathered at the hospital late Wednesday and early Thursday.
Daniels told reporters she was able to speak with the officers and said they were in good spirits and in stable condition.
"This is unacceptable. It is by the grace of God that the officers are still alive," Daniels said. "I'm so thankful that I did not have to go and knock on the doors of the officers' families to tell them that their loved one was not coming home today."
"We are so grateful that the officers involved in this unfortunate incident are alive," said Levine Cava. "They are are doing what they do each and every day - keeping our community safe. We owe them a great debt of gratitude."
It was unknown how long the officers would be staying at the hospital.
"I'm thankful that they are here with us and they'll be able to go home and spend time with their family," Daniels said.
The neighborhood where the shooting happened is in a rural area of southwest Miami-Dade where there's a mix of farms and homes. The house appeared to be abandoned, with a pile of trash in the front.
The owner of the home spoke with NBC6 briefly and said he was the person who initially called to complain about the squatter. He added that he was just grateful the officers were okay.
The incident will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is standard practice in law enforcement shootings.
“Unfortunately this is another reminder of the threats and risks associated with police work and the threats our officers meet on a day to day basis to keep our community safe," Miami-Dade Chief of Public Safety James Reyes said.
This is a developing story. Check back with NBC6 for updates.
