Daughter: Father shot by police is security guard

LAUDERHILL, Fla. (WSVN) -- A woman who described herself as the daughter of a man injured in an early morning police-involved shooting said her father is a security guard at the property.

The shooting happened Thursday, at about 2 a.m., near Northwest 19th Street and 31st Avenue. Investigators said, police received a 911 call about a suspicious person wandering in the industrial area. Security cameras attached to a building may have caught what happened.

Lauderhill Police officers arrived on scene to find a man, they said, with a firearm in his hands, dressed in unmarked clothing. "The officers then discharged their weapons. No officers were hurt and the suspect was hit but nothing of a serious nature," said Lauderhill Police Captain Rick Rocco.

Rescue Crews transported the shooting victim to Broward Health Medical Center where he is in serious condition with non life-threatening injuries. Police said he was shot at by three officers and was hit at least twice. "At some point during that encounter they fired their weapons," said Rocco. "The man was struck. There were no markings on his person that indicated that if in fact he is employed as a security guard. I don't know what may have been said during the situation."

The victim's daughter said her father, 79-year-old Earl Brown, has been a security guard for 33 years, and she does not know how this happened. She and friends said Brown was hired to patrol the premises. "He did carry a gun, but that's a part of his job," said a friend of the victim. "He was not a violent person."

No word on what caused police to open fire, and they are not confirming that the man was a security guard. "The investigation is continuing. We need to determine who the male is and what he was doing here," said Rocco.

Police shutdown 21st Avenue between Northwest 19th and 16th Streets as they conducted their investigation. The roadway has since reopened.

Residents who live in the area also said the shooting victim is a security guard for International Global Metals. They said he's worked at the business for more than 25 years and is in constant communication with police about suspicious activity. Police have not confirmed this information, however.

Police said the three officers who opened fire have been placed on routine administrative leave.

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