Hollywood Police said at least one of its officers was forced to open fire on a man after he refused to stop his SUV after an early morning pursuit Friday.
"We heard a crash, and we heard shouting going on, and then we heard the gunshots," said Alicia Robinson who lives nearby.
NBC Miami has learned 44-year-old Derrick Harvey was first involved in a chase that began in the Miami-Dade area.
The search was so aggressive, a helicopter was called in to track the white Toyota 4-Runner Harvey was driving.
"After a few minutes, we heard the helicopter, and that's when we knew something was going on," Robinson said.
In Hollywood, an officer followed Harvey all the way to a dead-end at SW 24th Avenue and Monroe Street. Trapped at the intersection, Hollywood Police said Harvey then tried to gun his way past the responding officer's cruiser, and the car of a second officer who arrived on scene.
The officers are said to have asked Harvey to exit the vehicle, but he declined, and instead attempted to charge his SUV. That is when at least one officer opened fire, striking Harvey.
"I mean, think about it," said Hollywood Police Lieutenant Norris Redding, "It's 2 o' clock in the morning, and you've got headlights coming at you at a high rate of speed. It's a dangerous situation these officers face at this point."
Harvey's injuries are said to be non-life threatening, though the location of his wounds have not yet been released. The officers were not wounded. The firing officer was spared, Norris said, by a police cruiser.
"Thank God he was standing behind the car that got hit. Without that car being there, I'd hate to see what could've occurred," said Norris.
Police officials have said there was a female passenger in the SUV with Harvey. She is said to be unharmed and cooperating with the investigation.
