An on-duty Hollywood police officer opened fire at a man Thursday in Miami Gardens — a city several miles from his police territory.
Varnelson Ceus, 23, has been arrested and is charged with aggravated assault and a hit and run with injuries, WFOR-Ch. 4 reported.
The officer, whose name hasn't been released, was not hurt in the shooting, which happened about 9:45 a.m. in the area of Northwest Third Court and 199th Street.
The officer, whose name hasn't been released, was not hurt in the shooting, which happened about 9:45 a.m. in the area of Northwest Third Court and 199th Street.
Police said the officer saw Ceus driving at high speeds and tried to conduct a traffic stop, WFOR-Ch. 4 reported. Ceus allegedly sped away then crashed into an SUV with a woman, Deloris Parks, inside.
Once the crash happened, the officer got out of his car and ordered Ceus to the ground but he allegedly refused to surrender and put his vehicle in reverse, WFOR-Ch. 4 reported. Police said he was attempting to run over the officer.
In fear for his life, police said, the officer started shooting at Ceus who sped off but was later arrested, WFOR-Ch. 4 reported.
Police said Ceus did not sustain any injuries in the shooting, WFOR-Ch. 4 reported. Parks was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
Detectives said Ceus was positively identified by witnesses and the Hollywood Police Officer as the man who was driving the car at the time of the shooting, WFOR-Ch. 4 reported.
If police know why the officer's shooting happened in Miami Gardens, they haven't said.
Hollywood police deferred questions to Miami Gardens police, who said they didn't know what brought the officer into their city.
Still, the officer "did discharge his duty weapon" at a male occupant inside a vehicle, Miami Gardens police Detective Michael Wright said.
"We'd like to thank the community for volunteering information, because without them we wouldn't have been able to gather all the necessary evidence to link a suspect to this crime," Wright said.
As a courtesy and for safety reasons, law enforcement officers typically alert police agencies whose jurisdictions they cross when an investigation leads them there.
Although Hollywood and Miami Gardens do not border each other, they are about two miles apart at their closest point. Wright said his agency was trying to learn whether the Hollywood officer made contact with Miami Gardens police before the shooting.
