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Officers Forced To Fire, Kill Erratic Driver During Confrontation In Hollywood

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HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) – One man is dead after a confrontation with Hollywood Police officers.

Friday morning, Hollywood Police responded to a 911 call of a reckless driver on North Federal Highway near Sheridan Street. When officers arrived, they found the driver at Johnson Street and Federal Highway driving erratically.

Officers tried to stop the driver, prompting him to speed off towards Federal Highway and into Hallandale Beach.

At one point, the driver stopped again and Hollywood officers tried to approach him. That's when officers said he attempted to hit them with the car and took off.

The chase continued until the driver was confronted by police for a third time. This time, officers opened fired.

"Out of nowhere I heard two gunshots and it sounded like fireworks," said witness Efran Rivera.

The suspect was struck and killed inside the vehicle.

"Officers spotted the white Jeep Cherokee, tried to stop him and fled, hit a white mini van and proceeded on striking other motor vehicles in his path," said Hollywood Police Chief Tom Sanchez. "There were a series of confrontations where the vehicle tried to hit officers. There were a total of three confrontations with his vehicle and unfortunately, on the final one, officers had no choice but to fire their weapons for the public safety."

Officers are looking for at least one other witness who may have been in a vehicle that was hit by the suspect during the chase. That person is described as a Hispanic male in a 2008 or 2009 Dodge caravan with blue-tinted windows.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now conducting the investigation into the shooting.

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, per normal procedures.

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