A suspect was taken into custody after gunshots were fired at a police car in North Miami Beach Wednesday morning, officials said.
A suspect was taken into custody after gunshots were fired at a police car in North Miami Beach Wednesday morning, officials said.
The incident happened shortly before 2 a.m. outside the Kabbalah Centre near Northeast 27th Avenue and Northeast 163rd Street.
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According to North Miami Beach Police officials, the officer was on patrol when he was "brazenly attacked" while sitting in his police vehicle.
Footage from the scene showed the marked squad car with a flat front tire and an evidence marker, as multiple officers investigated.
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The shooting suspect fled the scene at high speed, and minutes later, a two-vehicle crash was reported in the area of Northwest 1st Avenue and Northwest 167th Street, police said.
One of the drivers involved in the crash matched the description of the suspect who fired at the officer's vehicle, police said.
Video from the crash scene showed the front end of a sedan destroyed and a SUV damaged.
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Police confirmed an arrest was made. The suspect, 26-year-old Evan Polinski, was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries and was expected to face charges.
No officers were injured in the incident. Police are trying to determine a motive for the shooting.
"The NMBPD remains committed to transparency and keeping the public informed as further details about the investigation emerge," the department said in a statement. "We are relieved that no members of our community or police force were harmed during this incident, and we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to maintaining peace and security in our city. At this time, our investigation has led us to believe that this was an isolated incident targeting law enforcement."
Authorities also mentioned that the officer whose car was shot was assigned to patrol the Kabbalah Centre overnight for safety reasons after Oct. 7.
“After what happened in Israel, which was terrorism at its ultimate, we had people stationed here," congregant Mike Weiss said. "I think the city did a great job in all areas that were potentially at risk, but we have security here."
