A suspect was airlifted to the hospital after he was shot by a Hialeah Police officer in northwest Miami-Dade Thursday after an armed carjacking and pursuit, officials said.
The shooting happened in the area of Northwest 127th Street and Northwest 15th Avenue.
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Footage showed the suspect being taken on a stretcher from the back of an ambulance and put on a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue helicopter.
The suspect was brought to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where his condition was unknown.
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Officials said two other suspects who fled on foot were detained. Police haven't released the identities of any of the suspects involved.
Footage also showed officers in the neighborhood closing off an area with crime scene tape. A red Ford Escape SUV with its doors open was inside the tape.
Hialeah Police officials said the incident began when 83-year-old Miguel Castillo was the victim of an armed carjacking in the area of East 11th Avenue and East 20th Street around 8:30 a.m.
The victim said he was getting out of his Ford Escape when a suspect pointed a gun at his head and demanded his property and car.
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The victim complied and the suspect and two other suspects fled in the SUV.
"He had the gun pointing at my head here, and I said, this is it. Luckily he got out and took off," said Castillo, adding that the gunman took his phone, wallet and watch, and even stuck his hands down his pockets to take everything.
Several hours later, a Hialeah officer spotted the SUV and tried to stop the suspects, but they fled and a pursuit ensued, officials said.
The pursuit ended and the suspects tried to flee on foot, but when an officer saw one was armed with a firearm, the officer opened fire, officials said.
A firearm was recovered at the scene. No officers were reported injured.
“Amazing, I didn’t know this situation would amount to so much racket," Castillo said. "You’re just glad he’s not out there doing this to someone else. I’m glad, I’m glad.”
Police said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will be investigating the shooting under the department's policy.
Check back with NBC 6 for updates.
