A woman was fatally shot by Miami police after allegedly confronting them with a knife, authorities and a witness reported. The incident occurred in the Edgewater neighborhood at NE 2nd Avenue and 25th Street, and has since prompted an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). According to a statement by a man identified as Hamid Hamidi, who claimed to be the woman's roommate, he had called 911 after the woman, who he said suffered from mental health issues, threatened him with a knife.
In an interview with CBS Miami, Hamidi described a chilling scene where the woman "charged" the officers, despite multiple warnings. "All of a sudden, the girl just charged with them, which is my roommate, she charged them with a knife, I could see in the shadows. And that's when they had to defend themselves because they did give her many warnings of you know, stopping, and please do not come forward and all of that, and she regardless just charged at them and she was shot," he said. Details from Hamidi have not been confirmed by Miami police or the FDLE. Hamidi also expressed regret over his decision to call the authorities, contemplating what could have been if he had not.
A nearby Airbnb renter, who witnessed the event, corroborated the account of the woman charging at police officers. "They did give her many warnings of, you know, stopping and please come forward and all of that, and she regardless just charged at them and she was shot," the witness stated in a report by NBC Miami.
The Miami Police Department has asked the public to stay clear of the area stretching from Biscayne Boulevard to NE 2nd Avenue between 25th and 26th streets because of the ongoing investigation, as stated in a traffic advisory and echoed in a post from Miami PD on X.
Please continue to avoid the area due to an officer involved shooting investigation. No officers were injured during the incident. Please seek alternate route until further notice. KD https://t.co/QJSA9zJqFl
— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) June 26, 2024
As is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, the FDLE has taken the lead to untangle the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting. The name of the woman has not yet been released, and no officers were reported injured during the incident. Authorities have provided limited information regarding the specifics that led to the gunfire, and as of now, Miami police have refrained from further commenting on the case.
