Police shooting leaves man injured, dog dead

NORTHWEST MIAMI DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- The Miami-Dade Police Department is currently investigating what transpired to leave a police officer injured and another man in the hospital.

According to Miami-Dade Police, a police officer made a traffic stop at Northwest 22nd Avenue and 56th Street, at around 2 p.m. Thursday. A homeless man walked by with a grocery cart and began throwing large chunks of cinder blocks at the officer shattering the back window of the police cruiser. Police said, that officer had no choice but to fire on her attacker.

When it was over, the homeless man needed transport to Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was shot somewhere below the waist and was conscious during transport. He is now in stable condition at the hospital. Police plan to interview him to learn why he did what he did.

During the police response, a police detective suffered a superficial dog bite to the hand, trying to control a crowd that had gathered after hearing several gunshots. That officer was also transported to the hospital. The dog was shot dead during the incident.

Witnesses were upset that the officer had to go so far as to shoot the dog. "He told the boy to take you and your dog," said a woman at the scene, "and the dog being so friendly jumped up on him, and then, next thing I know, the police officer shot him, pow, pow!"

"The boy was going home," said another woman, "and the police were just straight up shooting at the dog. It could have hit the boy too, but thank God it didn't."

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