Deputies said a security guard and two suspects were hit in exchanged gunfire.
MIAMI, FL — Three men were shot early Monday in northwest Miami-Dade during what deputies described as an attempted robbery of a security guard, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said. The shooting happened around 4 a.m. near Northwest 19th Avenue and Northwest 79th Street.
The sheriff’s office said all three men were taken to a hospital in stable condition as robbery detectives took over the case. Investigators have not released the men’s names, ages, or a description of what led up to the gunfire, and it was not immediately clear whether any arrests had been made. The shooting added to concerns in the Northside area, where residents reported being jolted awake by rapid gunfire before deputies sealed off streets and began searching for evidence.
Deputies responded after a ShotSpotter alert signaled gunfire in the area, according to a sheriff’s office statement. When they arrived, deputies found three adult men suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, the agency said. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews took the men to a local hospital, and investigators said the injuries were not considered life-threatening. The sheriff’s office said its preliminary investigation showed that two men tried to rob a security guard and that gunfire was exchanged during the confrontation. All three were struck during the shooting, deputies said.
The shooting scene centered on the area around Northwest 79th Street and Northwest 19th Avenue, a corridor lined with small businesses, fast-food storefronts, and apartment buildings. In a report from WSVN, deputies were seen focusing their work near the Regency Pointe apartment complex, next to a Church’s Chicken. Officers blocked off parts of the roadway as investigators walked through the area and marked evidence on the pavement. In the same report, a first responder could be heard in radio transmissions describing a male shot in the abdomen multiple times, underscoring the severity of at least one injury even as officials said the victims were stable.
Authorities have not said who fired first or what kind of weapon was used, and they have not released details about the security guard’s employer or whether the guard was on duty at a specific location at the time. The sheriff’s office press release listed the security guard as a white male and the two suspected robbers as Black males, but it did not provide ages or identify any of them. Investigators also have not said whether surveillance video captured the encounter or whether detectives recovered shell casings or firearms at the scene. The sheriff’s office said robbery detectives assumed the investigation, a step that often signals the case is being treated primarily as an attempted holdup rather than an isolated shooting without an apparent motive.
Neighbors described hearing a burst of gunfire before daylight. Alberto Nolasco, who lives in the area, told WSVN that it sounded like about a dozen shots. The reported number of shots has not been confirmed by investigators, and authorities have not released a count of shell casings or a timeline for how long the gunfire lasted. Still, the accounts matched what residents and commuters often describe after predawn shootings: the sound of rapid pops, followed by sirens and flashing lights as patrol units converge on a single intersection. By morning, deputies had taped off parts of the area, and the scene drew attention from people heading to work or looking out from nearby buildings.
In its statement, the sheriff’s office did not describe the sequence of events beyond saying two men attempted to rob a security guard and that gunfire was exchanged. That leaves major questions unanswered, including whether the security guard was approached on foot or in a vehicle, whether the suspects tried to take a weapon, and whether the guard fired in self-defense. Officials also have not said if the suspects were found at the scene or tracked down nearby, and it was unclear whether the men were transported together or separately. Deputies have not reported any other injuries, and no bystanders were reported hurt.
Procedurally, the case now sits with robbery detectives, who typically collect physical evidence, interview witnesses, and track down video from nearby cameras before presenting findings for potential charges. The sheriff’s office said no further information was available in the hours after the shooting, and investigators did not announce any scheduled briefing. Authorities also did not say whether prosecutors had been consulted or whether the suspects were under guard at the hospital. If detectives determine the suspects survived and can be interviewed, the investigation could move quickly into a charging decision. If the gunfire involved multiple shooters, investigators may also need to sort out which injuries were caused by which weapon, a process that can depend on ballistics testing and medical records.
For residents near the intersection, the shooting left a familiar scene of blocked lanes, marked evidence points, and deputies moving slowly through a parking lot and along curbs searching for clues. Investigators in the WSVN footage were seen dusting for prints on several cars and a golf cart near the apartment complex, a sign they were looking for any surface a shooter or victim may have touched during the encounter. The sheriff’s office did not confirm what those items had to do with the case, and officials did not say whether the suspects arrived in a particular vehicle or fled in one. By late morning, officials continued to withhold details about how the attempted robbery unfolded.
Authorities said all three men were hospitalized in stable condition Monday, and the sheriff’s office said robbery detectives remained in charge of the investigation. The next milestone will be whether detectives identify the men and announce any arrests or charges tied to the attempted robbery and the gunfire.
Author note: Last updated February 16, 2026.