A near-tragic standoff unfolded in North Miami Beach when an allegedly inebriated man opened fire on an occupied police cruiser, according to officials. Evan Polinski, 36, is accused of nearly quadrupling the legal alcohol limit, his blood alcohol content a staggering .311 as he attacked the officer's vehicle stationed outside the Kabbalah Jewish Community Center, North Miami Beach Police Department revealed.
Maj. Juan Pinillos recounted the chilling encounter to WSVN, “You can see him running in the direction of the marked police vehicle, armed with a firearm, and appears to racket several times as to get a round inside the firearm, which makes this crime premeditated,” Following the shooting, Polinski fled the scene, later crashing his white Chevy into another vehicle near the Golden Glades interchange Pinillos added that in such a state of intoxication the danger was magnified and the outcome could have been drastically different.
Police say surveillance footage shows Polinski, clad in black, shooting at the cruiser's front tire before sprinting away. The officer in the cruiser was not harmed during the incident and was working on his computer outside the community center when Polinski struck. "This is a reminder of the evil in this world and how we must be vigilant in our surroundings. This incident could have turned into one of the darkest and most tragic days in North Miami Beach history." Pinillos told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench.
Pinillos noted that Polinski appeared to specifically target law enforcement, stating, "To be this blatant and doing this where someone is targeted," he said, "We do not accept that and we do not stand for that. By the grace of God, we are talking about point-blank range and this could have gone the other way." City Manager Mario Diaz expressed relief that the officer was unharmed "We are relieved that he (the officer) was not physically harmed and we are looking forward to welcoming him back at work as soon as he is ready. Our law enforcement officers put themselves in danger to keep us safe and we want to thank each and every one of them on behalf of the community and its residents." Diaz told reporters, as reported by CBS News.
Evan Polinski, whose previous encounter with the law includes a 2017 DUI arrest, is now facing charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer amongst others. His hospitalization follows the crash after his apprehension by the North Miami Beach Police with assistance from the Miami-Dade Police Department.
