Police shoot, kill man who tried to run them over

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Miami-Dade Police said they were forced to fire on a would-be thief who tried to run them over with a police cruiser.

The police-involved shooting happened just before midnight Tuesday. Authorities said they received phone calls of a suspicious man peeking into parked cars near 77th Street and Southwest 162nd Avenue.

A 24-year-old college student, who wants to remain anonymous, said she saw a man in the area acting strange. "I saw a guy just looking into a car. I thought it was suspicious, and as I drove around be suddenly ducked down, and I thought that was really suspicious, so I ended up just calling police."

Police arrived on scene, located the man and began interviewing him. During the interview, police said, the subject provided false information, and they decided to arrest him. As police tried to handcuff the man, a struggle ensued and the subject broke free. "At some point, this man broke free from the officers during the fight, and he actually entered the officer's vehicle," said Miami-Dade Police Detective Roy Rutland.

That is when, investigators said, the man tried to run the officers over with a police cruiser. "According to the officer's statements and evidence here on the scene, it appears that is when the man attempted to run the officers over with the officer's vehicle," said Rutland. "Shots were fired at that point and the subject died here on the scene behind me."

One nearby neighbor was shocked that the crime scene was so close to his home. "It's a nice, quiet neighborhood and you don't expect these type of incidents to happen, but anything is possible," said Ronald Tecero.

The name of the subject has not been released. 

None of the officers were injured.

Streets in the area of 80th Street and Southwest 162nd Avenue were shut down for several hours Wednesday morning due to the investigation.

All roads have since been reopened.

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