BSO: Shots Fired After Wanted Suspect Struck Deputy With Car
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – An investigation is underway after a Broward Sheriff's deputy was forced to fire on a suspect in Fort Lauderdale.
The incident marks the third BSO deputy-involved shooting in 12 days.
What began in Lauderdale by the Sea Wednesday afternoon culminated at the parking lot of the Holy Cross Medical Center campus at 1900 E. Commercial Blvd, following a police pursuit.
The suspect, wanted on aggravated fleeing and eluding and petit theft, was first spotted by authorities sitting in his car.
"One of our deputies, exercising due diligence and keen awareness to detail, observed a subject he knew to be wanted for aggravated fleeing inside his vehicle. Deputies set up at a nearby hotel and they watched the subject inside his vehicle," said Broward Sheriff Scott Israel.
The deputy then approached the wanted man.
"That's when the suspect backed into and struck the officer with his vehicle, forcing the deputy to open fire," Sheriff Israel said. "The suspect was shot in the arm and took off, eventually driving to Holy Cross, where he allegedly struck other vehicles in the parking lot."
The injured deputy was taken to an area hospital. The suspect was transported to Broward Health Medical Center. Both are expected to be OK.
Lynn Hoarty was working in the medical building at the time. She said the man who owns one of the cars that was hit had just left his vehicle about two minutes prior to impact.
"He just walked in for his appointment," Hoarty said. "He was sitting there waiting."
Shirley Moses-Jones was also at work as a patient coordinator. She took the damage to her vehicle in stride.
"It's things that happen in life," she said. "You never know what's gonna happen on a daily basis and if you're part of the incident just be grateful you wasn't harmed."
While the recent shootings by BSO deputies are not connected, Sheriff Israel says it's critical for the community to remember that law enforcement shootings here and elsewhere across the country must be looked at individually to understand the proper context.
"The most important thing to remember is each shooting, each use of force needs to be looked at, investigated on its own merit," Israel said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate this shooting as well as the other recent BSO deputy shootings.
Investigators have not released the names of the deputy and the man shot – only saying they are both white men.
