Man Wanted For Shooting At Officer Dies In Stand Off
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) – A 25-year-old man who abducted his girlfriend at gunpoint and then fired at a police officer who tried to stop him and later held family members hostage has taken his own life, according to Miami-Dade Police.
Detectives say no one else was injured after a standoff at a family home at 15272 SW 281st St. That's where police say the suspect, Gregory Wright, had fled after abducting his 25-year-old girlfriend Benita Jones.
"It was a sensitive situation as we had the 25-year-old woman inside, along with a two-month old child, a 2-year-old child, a 9-year-old and a disabled 41-year-old man," said Detective Alvaro Zabaleta.
"We were very concerned as he had also fired at a police officer," said Zabaleta.
Police spokeswoman Rosanna Cordero-Stutz told CBS4's Peter D'Oench it all started with a call to police at 7:15 a.m. that a woman had been taken at gunpoint from an apartment at 14840 Naranja Lakes Drive.
A short time later, an off-duty West Miami Police officer came across Wright and Jones.
"At the time the officer was shot at and then returned fire," said Cordero-Stutz. As Wright fled, a neighborhood was sealed off with police tape and a perimeter, stretching from S.W. 278 to 284th St. and from SW 152nds Ave. to U.S. One.
From chopper 4, we saw a 9-year-old child being released from the home by Wright.
The discovery of Wright's body was made by the Miami-Dade Police Special Response team as it entered the home.
"I know she's ok. I'm glad she's ok," said Jones's great aunt, Jennifer Jones. "I hate the way it ended. It's just one of those things. I thought it might have gone some other way."
Benita Jones's mother told D'Oench, "I just hope my daughter can be returned safe, brought back home safe." There were some agonizing members for loved ones as they waited at a police command post at S.W. 278th St. and U.S. One.
Jones's grandfather, who did not want to release his name, told D'Oench, "I'm sorry it ended up like it did. He was a misguided young man. I feel sorry for his parents."
The distraught and emotional mother of Gregory Wright also came to the scene, telling D"Oench, "My son was disabled. He was on medication. He loved his girlfriend. He loved her to death. He was a good child. Everyone falls short sometime. He never had a Dad. I was his Mommy and his Daddy. I worked 16 hours a day at 2 jobs for my 6 kids."
D'Oench asked her, "You feel terrible about what happened to this girl?"
"Yes, I do," she replied. "But she's still alive."
A check of records showed that Wright was arrested and convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2009.
Zabaleta said police were grateful that no one else was injured.
"Our goal is to make sure that everyone is safe," Zabaleta said.
