One person was killed and three were taken into custody after a shootout involving a group of suspects who opened fire on police officers and federal agents in a Miami Gardens neighborhood late Thursday, officials said.
The shooting happened shortly before 11 p.m. in the area of Northwest 27th Place near 163rd Street.
Officials said Miami Gardens Police officers and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on a joint detail in the area in response to recent violent incidents.
The officers and agents heard gunshots and responded to the scene, and when they arrived, a group of suspects opened fire on them, officials said.
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At least two police officers and one ATF agent returned fire, hitting and killing one person, officials said.
"Unfortunately, some individuals discharged firearms at some Miami Gardens detectives as well as some of my agents. Gunfire was returned, one individual was struck and was, he's unfortunately deceased," ATF Miami Special Agent in Charge Christopher Robinson said.
Three other people were taken into custody. Officers recovered two weapons at the scene near the body of the person who was killed, police said.
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"Five loud shots, they were five, I don’t know if it was back and forth but it looks like someone was shooting someone quick, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, you know, and it’s loud, it’s not a regular gun," said Mohammed Yousef, who lives in the neighborhood.
A photo released by police showed two bullet holes in the windshield of a detective's car.
Officials haven't identified the person who was killed or the people who were taken into custody. But the mother of the man who was killed identified him as Daniel Lewis.
The mother, Angela Steed, said Lewis went outside to see what was happening when he was shot.
"And when they got here, my son naturally, he was in the house, came outside to see and he just took two steps off the back porch and they shot him five times," Steed said. "We all didn’t know what was going on, who was outside, I watched them kill my son and they didn’t even help, didn’t administer CPR, no nothing, they just stood over his body."
No officers were injured and police say there was no ongoing threat to the community.
“We do not take this lightly,” Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said. “If folks are brazen enough to fire upon our officers and are out here doing violent crime, they will be dealt with accordingly.”
Noel-Pratt said the officers and agents were part of a proactive detail in the neighborhood following the violent incidents.
On May 15, a shootout involving high-powered weapons that shook a Miami Gardens neighborhood was caught on surveillance video. The incident was targeted and gang-related, the police chief said at that time.
Another Miami Gardens shootout that happened May 25 was also caught on camera.
Noel-Pratt was asked if the people in Thursday night's incident could be connected with the other May shootouts.
"There's no indication of that. However, we found at least two firearms near the deceased's body and therefore, like I stated before, we are not taking this lightly and if folks feel that they can come out here and be brazen enough to commit this violent crime and fire upon our law enforcement officers, we will deal with them accordingly," she said.
At least two of the three people taken into custody were later released. One of them Jafari Russell, said he was driving a car with three passengers when he was followed by three vehicles that he said didn't have police lights on to identify themselves as law enforcement.
“I’m terrified for my life, there’s three cars, black tinted up cars, chasing us at 11 o’clock at night," Russell said.
Russell said he drove through a fence and into a backyard, where his cousin, Lewis, was killed.
"I pulled over and stop and now I’m running for my life because I’m just hearing shots ringing out, you know, still have yet to know if it’s the police or not," Russell said.
Editor's note: A previous version of this article identified the deceased as a suspect. Police have not confirmed if that person had a role in the shooting.
This is a developing story. Check back with NBC6 for updates.
