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Locals, Feds Investigate Officer-Involved Shooting Of Alleged Robber

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MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) --  Local and federal authorities are investigating a deadly police-involved shooting of a bank robbery suspect.

Miami Beach police were still keeping guard Friday evening outside an apartment where they shot and killed a man they say robbed a bank on busy 41st street.

A patrol unit sat just feet from the second floor apartment on 40th street and Garden Avenue, shattered windows evidence of what happened there 24 hours earlier.

Authorities said the man who robbed the Regions Bank a block away at the corner of Meridian Avenue and 41st holed up in his apartment, unwilling to surrender.

Meanwhile, stunned neighbors who watched and heard it all go down during the course of the day and night Thursday are finally getting back to normal.

Joshua Debord said this was "the most unlucky place to live yesterday and today."

Another neighbor told CBS4 he didn't realize at first how serious the matter was when suddenly SWAT officers were outside his door, in the same building where the suspect lived a floor above.

"I stepped out on the porch, and when I did, a couple officers came over and said hey you need to get out of there," explained Jonathan Folland. "Is there anybody else in there?  You need to get out."

Several neighbors told CBS4 the man who had barricaded himself in his apartment was Joseph Julian, and he had a history with Miami Beach police.

Previous mugshots of 40-year old Julian are already in the system stemming from arrests by Miami Beach police for burglary and a stay at the Department of Corrections.

"This is a safe place but you never know when somebody robs a bank nearby and needs a place to hole up," pointed out Debord, "whose door might he come to.  It's pretty scary."

Swat teams spent more than seven hours Thursdayy trying to negotiate with Julian to surrender.

Three separate rounds of tear gas popped loudly as they tried to smoke him out. A fourth and final round of pops followed – the fatal gunshots.

Another neighbor said he had seen Julian around since living nearby the past two years.

"I think the cops did a good job," Michael Alarquente said. "I don't think they guy was the most intelligent to rob a bank a block away.  I'm glad no cops got hurt."

Police said the robber violently beat some of the Regions Bank employees while robbing them, seriously hurting them.

Authorities have not said what caused them to open fire.

Miami Beach Police has asked Miami-Dade Police to help investigate the incident. Miami-Dade investigators are also working with the FBI in the investigation.

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