Authorities said the suspect crashed into another vehicle before exiting while armed.
MIAMI, FL. — A Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy shot an armed driver after a traffic stop turned into a brief pursuit and a crash in northwest Miami-Dade on Tuesday night, officials said. The driver was taken to a hospital in stable condition, and two firearms were recovered at the scene.
The shooting is being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, a standard step after deputy-involved shootings in Florida. The incident unfolded across several blocks in and around West Little River, leaving a homeowner describing damage near his house and raising fresh questions about what led deputies to try to stop the vehicle in the first place.
Deputies from the sheriff’s office Robbery Intervention Team tried to stop a black Mercedes-Benz just after 8 p.m. Tuesday near Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 71st Street, the sheriff’s office said. The driver did not pull over and instead fled. Sheriff’s office aviation units were already overhead and continued tracking the vehicle as it moved north through the area. Moments later, deputies said, the fleeing vehicle struck a civilian vehicle near Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 87th Street. The suspect vehicle then came to a stop in the roadway. Deputies moved in, and officials said the driver exited while armed. A deputy fired, striking the driver in the lower extremities, officials said.
Deputies provided first aid until Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived and transported the injured driver to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, the sheriff’s office said. The woman driving the civilian vehicle that was hit was not injured, officials said, and no deputies were hurt. Authorities said two firearms were recovered at the scene. The sheriff’s office did not immediately release the suspect’s name or age early Wednesday, describing the person only as an adult male. Officials also did not say what prompted the attempted stop or whether the suspect was suspected of any other crimes beyond fleeing from deputies.
Residents near Northwest 17th Avenue and 87th Street described a chaotic scene after the crash and gunfire. Vincient Miles, who lives nearby, said one of the vehicles involved ended up in his front yard, just inches from his home. Miles said he heard the impact and then heard gunshots. When he went outside, he found damage along the side of his property, including a destroyed fence and a damaged air-conditioning unit. Miles said he was startled by how close the vehicle came to his house and described the narrow gap between the car and the structure as “miraculous.” The sheriff’s office did not provide additional details about property damage in the immediate aftermath.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents will lead the investigation into the use of force, and the sheriff’s office has said the case remains ongoing. Investigators typically gather video and physical evidence, interview witnesses and involved officers, and document the scene before turning findings over for review. Authorities have not said whether any body-worn camera video, dashboard video or aviation footage will be released, or when. The sheriff’s office also has not said whether the deputy who fired has been placed on administrative leave, a common agency practice that can vary by department and the specifics of a case.
Officials said the attempted stop began near Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 71st Street and ended several blocks north at Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 87th Street, a corridor lined with homes, small businesses and busy intersections. The crash involved a civilian vehicle driven by an adult woman, and deputies said she was uninjured. Authorities did not identify her. Officials also did not say how fast the suspect vehicle was traveling when it struck the other vehicle, how many occupants were in the suspect vehicle, or whether any bystanders were put in immediate danger beyond the collision. Those details, along with the suspect’s condition and possible charges, remained unclear Wednesday.
Possible criminal charges, if any, would depend on the results of the investigation and a review by prosecutors. The sheriff’s office has said no further information was available in the hours after the shooting. Authorities did not announce a timeline for updates, but officials said the suspect was alive and in stable condition and that the investigation was continuing under FDLE oversight. The sheriff’s office case information released publicly listed the occurrence near Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 87th Street and noted the shooting occurred at about 8 p.m. Tuesday.
For neighbors, the incident was measured in seconds: the sound of a crash, the pop of gunfire and the sight of police converging on the roadway. Miles said he stepped outside expecting the worst after hearing the impact, only to find that the vehicle had stopped short of his home. He said the damage to his fence and air-conditioning unit showed how forceful the collision was, even without the car striking the house itself. Officials said the scene ended with the suspect injured, the civilian driver unharmed and two firearms recovered, but many of the key questions about the stop and the moments before the shooting remained unanswered.
By Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said the suspect’s identity had not been released and FDLE investigators were handling the case. Authorities have not announced a date for the next public briefing, and the sheriff’s office has said the investigation remains ongoing.
Author note: Last updated February 25, 2026.