A police officer in North Miami Beach narrowly escaped an ambush early Wednesday, when a suspect reportedly opened fire on his patrol car outside the Kabbalah Centre, authorities said. The firefight took place near the intersection of Northeast 27th Avenue and Northeast 163rd Street, according to the North Miami Beach Police Department.
The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Evan Polinski, led police on a high-speed chase before crashing into another vehicle. He was subsequently arrested and hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. Polinski is expected to face multiple charges, including firing on a law enforcement officer, North Miami Beach officials confirmed.
"The officer wasn’t hurt when the suspect fired ‘at almost point blank range,’ police said Thursday," according to Local 10 News. Further details revealed by authorities included charges of DUI and reckless driving against the suspect, who reportedly had a prior DUI arrest by North Miami Beach police back in 2017.
The incident has reignited safety concerns among local residents, "After what happened in Israel, which was terrorism at its ultimate, we had people stationed here," congregant Mike Weiss told NBC Miami, referencing security measures taken after a previous incident. The North Miami Beach Police Department is treating the shooting as an isolated event targeting law enforcement, however, the motives behind the attempted ambush remain unclear.
In a statement that assured the public of the department's dedication to transparency, North Miami Beach Police highlighted their ongoing efforts to protect the community, "We are relieved that no members of our community or police force were harmed during this incident, and we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to maintaining peace and security in our city," the department declared, as per NBC Miami.
