In what is being called an “ambush” attack, a police officer in a Florida town was shot and wounded in a drive by shooting as he stood outside his cruiser taking an accident report.
Miami Gardens Police Chief Antonio Brooklen identified the wounded officer as David Starling, a veteran officer of the department. Officer Starling was taking an accident report when a man driving by the scene allegedly “made eye contact” with the officer, then backed up his black SUV and unexpectedly opened fire.
The chief reported that the 52-year-old officer was wounded in his lower extremities as he scrambled to get out of the line of fire. The wounded officer called the incident in and alerted the department on where the shooter was headed bringing other officers to the chase.
That was not the only confrontation the department had with the shooter. As officers chased him, the suspect leaned out of his car twice to fire rounds at the pursuing officers.
Ultimately, the suspect smashed his SUV and was taken into custody after a foot chase. He was discovered with the weapon he apparently used against the officers.
No officers discharged their weapons during the arrest.
“If you have that much hate and aggression to attempt to assassinate a police officer who is paid to protect and serve, there is no justification for it. None whatsoever,” Chief Brooklen said. “We must come together and join forces and do what is necessary to bring this senseless violence to an end.”
“The officer is doing good. He has non-life threatening injuries,” Brooklen added.
“The streets are mean,” said Dade County Police Benevolent Association President John Rivera. “Miami-Dade County is a violent, violent place to work and to live and to play.”
Officer Starling has been wth the department since 1999 and is listed in stable condition.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com
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