Investigation Continues Into Shooting Of K9 Officer After Lengthy Standoff With Suspect
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI SHORES (CBSMiami) – The investigation continues into the shooting of Golden Beach Police Officer Julio Soca.
"Golden Beach has 23 police officers, full-time police officers," said Golden Beach Mayor Glenn Singer. "My heart dropped, especially when one of the family members of Golden Beach going down."
According to Mayor Singer, Officer Soca, a 2-year veteran of the police department, was shot twice, while assisting on a call of a masked gunman in a Miami Shores neighborhood.
"The first bullet went through his bicep, in and out, second one was lodged between his bullet proof vest and his back. Fortunately, he had the bullet proof vest on," said Mayor Singer.
It happened Saturday at 1:30 a.m., near NE 11th Avenue and NE 105th Street, and sent residents into a panic.
"Very frightening to have the cops literally guide us and cover us up against the wall as he walked us out," said Marisol Sardina, who lives nearby.
About two hours earlier, Miami Shores Police responded to a 911 call of an armed man seen outside of a woman's house, with his face "partially covered."
"The subject made no demands," officials said. "However, (he) told the female to walk back inside her house. The female complied and contacted the police."
A perimeter was set up and K9 assistance was requested from nearby police agencies to aid in the search.
"K9 Officers began searching and upon making entry into a residence, located at 10674 NE 11 Court, the Golden Beach police officer was shot by the subject," read a media statement.
Officer was rushed to Aventura Hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue in stable condition.
A Miami-Dade Police Special Response Team, as well as hostage negotiators, tried for several hours to get the suspect to give up peacefully.
"They must have used the backyard for something because all of our chairs are up in a barricade," said Sardina.
Four gunshots were heard and when entry was finally made into the home, they found the suspect deceased.
"You wonder if he was sane, what was going through his mind," said MDPD's Jennifer Capote. "They had this entire house barricaded before they called SRT in. We couldn't figure out why he just didn't surrender. He knew he was in trouble."
The identity of the suspect has not yet been released.
