Police-involved shooting leaves subject dead

HIALEAH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A robbery suspect shot by a Hialeah Police officer has died.

The circumstances that lead to the subject's shooting death remain unclear. What is clear, police said, is that the subject, who investigators have not identified, tried to get away with as many cell phones as possible.

The veteran Hialeah Police Officer, who has not been identified, responded to a burglary call at the Boost Mobile cellular phone shop at 490 Palm Ave. Wednesday morning, at around 4:30 a.m. He said he was forced to fire the subject after that subject robbed the local store. He was shot at least two times.

According to police, they received a call of a burglary in progress. "When officers arrived, there was a confrontation between that suspect and that officer," said Hialeah Police Detective Eddie Rodriguez.

The front door of the store was smashed out with display shelves destroyed and wiped clean. Police towed away the subject's vehicle and found it filled with dozens of stolen cell phones. Police said they arrived after receiving a phone call. "Somebody did see something," said Rodriguez. "Somebody made the phone call. They did inform us that there was a burglary in progress at that store at Palm Avenue and Fifth Street. That's when officers arrived."

Hialeah Fire Rescue transported the subject to Jackson Memorial Hospital where doctors later pronounced him dead. Police did note that the officer had no choice but to shoot the subject. "The officer did feel as if his life was threatened, and he was forced to fire," said Rodriguez.

Police shut down Palm Avenue down from First Street to Ninth Street for most of morning as they investigated. Employees at nearby businesses were even turned away until police cleared the scene. "They closed everything off," said one woman arriving to work.

Police said there is no word of a weapon found on the scene, and they are not looking for other suspects.

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