Burglary Suspect Who Shot at El Portal Officers While Fleeing Arrested: Police

Daniel Hernandez, 54, was arrested Thursday morning on charges including attempted murder on a law enforcement officer, burglary, theft and loitering, El Portal Police officials said

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Police have arrested a burglary suspect who they say opened fire on El Portal officers while fleeing last week.

Daniel Hernandez, 54, was arrested Thursday morning on charges including attempted murder on a law enforcement officer, burglary, theft and loitering, El Portal Police officials said.

The events leading to Hernandez's arrest began last Thursday, Oct. 7, when officers responded to a burglary at a home in the 200 block of Northeast 87th Street that had been captured on the homeowner's doorbell camera.

As officers arrived, a truck was leaving the scene and officers began following the truck. As officers followed, a gun shot was fired at them, and the driver took off on foot and was able to get away, police said.

NBC 6 anchor Johnny Archer has more on what police are saying after the suspect fired shots at the officers early Thursday morning.

On Wednesday night, the same officers responded to another house burglary in the area of Northeast 90th Street and Miami Avenue and spotted a suspect who took off running.

That house also had a doorbell camera and showed the suspect, who looked like the same suspect from the previous burglary, officials said.

Officers from Miami-Dade Police, Miami Shores Police and Biscayne Park Police responded and set up a perimeter but the suspect couldn't be found.

A short time later, officers received a call of someone loitering behind a house in the area, and officers found a man pushing a bicycle and carrying a leaf blower, who tried to flee.

The suspect, Hernandez, resisted arrest and officers had to Tase him to take him into custody, officials said.

Officials said Hernandez had to be hospitalized for injuries he suffered after he fell while being Tased. Police released a photo of Hernandez with a bloodied face after he was taken into custody.

El Portal Police
Daniel Hernandez

El Portal Police Chief David Magnusson commented on the arrest Thursday.

"I think there’s some poetic justice in that the same officers that got fired upon were able to make an arrest on this guy," Magnusson said. "You think of the arrogance to do what you did last week and to come back to the same area to do the same crime again, thinking you’re not going to get caught or not caring if you do, I don’t know which one it is."

Magnusson said investigators believe Hernandez is responsible for multiple burglaries.

“He took a shot at my cops," Magnusson said. "He tried to kill my officers and so my respect is waning, if at all existent. There is none."

Hernandez was discharged from the hospital and expected to be booked into jail. Attorney information wasn't available.

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