Suspect dead after shooting at cops near Miami airport

A man who was at the center of an armed kidnapping FBI case was shot and killed late Thursday by police after he fired at several officers with an assault rifle.

By Monique O. Madan and Sarah Blaskey

Miami Herald

MIAMI — A man who was at the center of an armed kidnapping FBI case was shot and killed late Thursday by police after he fired at several officers with an assault rifle, police said.

Rapid gunfire erupted just blocks away from Miami International Airport. Police officials said City of Miami police and Miami-Dade police were working with the FBI in an ongoing kidnapping case when the shooting happened.

“The FBI was investigating a fugitive case. The suspect of this investigation fled the scene. And he was armed,” FBI spokesman Brian Waterman told reporters early Friday. “(The suspect) was involved in a hate crime investigation.”

During the police pursuit, the “the subject began to shoot at the officers and there was an exchange of gunfire,” according to Miami police spokesperson Kiara Delva. The subject was shot and died on the scene.

The identity of the gunman is being withheld pending next of kin notification, and details about who was kidnapped was not provided by police or the FBI. Officials did not say how many shots were fired.