A Miami Police Department officer has been charged with domestic violence-related offenses after she reportedly fired a gun during a dispute. Officer Sthephany Canizares, 27, was arrested Sunday evening and faces charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in public or on residential property, according to Local 10 News. Jail and court records show that Canizares was being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,500 bond.
The incident, which took place at the home she shares with her boyfriend and their small child in Cutler Bay, was first reported last Friday morning. An arrest report indicates that the victim found Canizares with a gun outside the residence and heard a gunshot upon her returning inside. As a response, the boyfriend secured their child and himself by retrieving his personal firearm and barricading themselves in a bedroom. These details were provided by WSVN.
Canizares, whose booking photo showed her in what appeared to be a hospital gown, has been relieved of duty with pay, pending the outcome of an active investigation, an MPD spokesperson stated. This detail comes after the arrest Sunday evening and subsequent information released yesterday.
Several hours after the incident, Canizares called 911 to report that she had discharged her weapon and wished to surrender. This call was made around three hours following the initial altercation, which she said was sparked by finding inappropriate messages on her boyfriend's phone. "He heard a loud sound which appeared to be a gunshot," the victim reportedly told deputies, illustrating the critical moment of the dispute, as relayed by WSVN.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting and the sequence of events leading to Canizares' arrest remain under investigation by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. Currently, there is no additional information available regarding court dates or further legal proceedings concerning the arrested officer.
