3 men arrested after shooting an officer

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. (WSVN) -- Investigators said the suspects involved in shooting an officer could be involved in another crime as well.

The three accused were booked at the Miami-Dade County Jail on Sunday night, on attempted murder charges, and they are now being linked to a similar robbery in Miami Shores.

A prayer of thanks was made at Unity Center Bible Study on Sunday. The Miami-Dade Police Officer shot in the parking lot while volunteering at the church not only survived, but he is already out of the hospital.

"Yeah, I believe God was with him," said Deacon Jules Joseph. "He protected him."

The officer was off duty when he was approached by three men Saturday afternoon who robbed him, then shot one bullet into his chest. He was able to call 911 himself.

"Why? Why? Why?" shouted his mother.

The officer's mother rushed to the church as police led a massive search on the the ground and in the air and eventually arrested three men.

Police believe it was 19-year-old Willy Barney who pulled the trigger. "He grabbed the gun and jumped over the bush," said a victim who also said he was robbed by Barney, "and he had the gun right on me."

Police linked the robbery to a man named "Joseph," who preferred to protect his identity. He told reporters he was cutting grass on Northwest 75th Street in Miami Shores on Thursday when he was ambushed, then robbed of his jewelry and cellphone.

"They said, 'Give up your gold, right now,'" said Joseph. "'Give it all up, man.' So I just put my hands up and gave them what they wanted. As soon as they took everything off me, they patted me down and took off."

On the three men, police said they found Joseph's cell phone. Joseph is relived the alleged robbers are behind bars, and he too credits a higher power that he was able to go home to his family.

"I came home, and I cried," said Joseph. "I cried with my family for days. I'm having nightmares from it. It's something somebody shouldn't have to go through."

Police expect to charge the three men involved in the robbery in Miami Shores as early as Monday.

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