A Miami-Dade Police officer was critically injured and an armed robbery suspect died after an altercation and shooting Monday night in Miami, officials said.
The incident began when detectives with Miami-Dade Police's Robbery Intervention Detail spotted a vehicle that was involved in an armed robbery in the area of Northwest 62nd Street and 17th Avenue shortly after 8 p.m., Miami-Dade Police officials said.
The suspect struck detectives' vehicles and hit a civilian's vehicle while trying to escape, police said.
An altercation then ensued, shots were fired and the officer and suspect were both shot, police said.
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The suspect died at the scene, and the officer was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition. Three people who were in the civilian vehicle were taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
Police did not provide the identities of the officer, the suspect or the other people who were in the car.
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Dozens of officers gathered at the hospital, where family members were said to be by the officer's side.
"I ask that our community please stand as one and pray," Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez said at a news conference early Tuesday morning. "We have hard days ahead of us. We have to do this as one, as a community, as a law enforcement family."
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez confirmed that the City of Miami Police Department is assisting Miami-Dade in the investigation.
Early Tuesday, county commissioner Jose Pepe Diaz said the officer had been shot in the head.
"We have an officer, a warrior, that's out defending our people from those that want to do bad and do harm in our community," Diaz said. "He got shot in the head last night and he's fighting for his life as we're here today."
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also offered her prayers to the police department.
"All we can do now is wait and pray," Levine Cava said.
Sources told NBC 6 the incident began with a reported armed robbery at a gas station or convenience store in Dania Beach Monday afternoon.
A license plate and description for the car were released by authorities, and the car was later spotted by the Miami-Dade RID detectives, sources said.
A witness told NBC 6 that he saw officers pursuing a driver, who bailed after hitting a pole and another car with his vehicle. The witness also claimed he saw officers shooting at the man and heard about 20 shots fired.
Sources said the suspect who was killed got out of the car after the crash and tried to flee on foot, and that's when there was an exchange of gunfire.
Footage from the scene showed several Miami-Dade Police vehicles blocking the road on Northwest 62nd Street near Interstate 95 late Monday and into Tuesday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has joined the investigation, which is customary in police-involved shootings.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said she also sent a team of prosecutors to the scene and hospital.
This is a developing story. Check back with NBC 6 for details.
