Watch CBS News

Police Pursuit Through Broward Streets Ends With 4 In Custody

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A police pursuit through the streets of Broward County ended in Davie with four people in custody on Thursday afternoon.

Police said it all began as the Broward Sheriff's Office was assisting a police agency in Miami-Dade.

BSO says it started at around 12:33 p.m., as VIPER (Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response) detectives attempted to take a subject into custody in the 2500 block of Wilson Street in Hollywood.

BSO says the subject was wanted for an armed carjacking that took place in Miami-Dade.

Authorities said that while detectives were taking the carjacking suspect into custody, a black pickup rammed an unmarked BSO van twice.

BSO detectives said they witnessed one of the suspects throw a rifle out of the window of the pickup truck.

Chopper 4 was following the pursuit and video showed one man bailing out of the moving truck early in the pursuit. That person was subsequently taken into custody.

The pursuit was being conducted in the air by a police helicopter and on the ground by at least one marked police cruiser.

The chase ended near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, in the Wells Fargo parking lot on US 441 and Orange Drive, when an unmarked police vehicle performed a PIT maneuver hitting the truck from behind and forcing it to stop.

"We heard the hit, couldn't see the hit, but as soon as you heard it, it sounded like a bomb hitting the side of the building. We looked out and we were able to see them just before they were able to get them out of the car," said witness David Martin.

Another police vehicle could be seen hitting the front of the truck, blocking it and preventing it from further movement.

Seconds later, we see the doors open and two people get out, one from each side, laying on the ground, as police officers with guns drawn quickly took them into custody.

"It was pretty crazy and again each cop had their gun drawn out, there was a dog ready to go after him. The guy got down fast enough, it didn't have to get worse for him. I don't know if he was resisting or not but they had to put a little muscle into to get his arms behind his back," adds Martin.

We then see the first officer approach the driver who was on the ground. Moments later, fists were flying.

"He got out and laid face down waiting to be handcuffed, that's what I saw. Then instead of handcuffing him looks like there was a scuffle. Looks like the first officer started hitting the guy in the head, then another came over and just started beating him up," said witness Laurence Leavy.

"I have to stress in this situation investigators were dealing with very violent individuals that were known to be armed, they have a history of arrest records. Some of the charges they're facing are all violent charges," said BSO spokesperson Veda Coleman-Wright.

BSO tells CBS4 the incident is under investigation.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.