What started as a routine stop at a red light in south Miami-Dade turned into a surreal roadside confrontation, with deputies saying a man tried to yank an American flag off a stranger’s car, pointed a gun at the windshield and fired a shot before declaring, “this is an act of war” while being booked into jail.
The victims told deputies they were stopped at a light when the suspect walked up and tried to remove the flag from their vehicle. They said he then followed them in his own car, trailing them through a nearby shopping plaza while aiming a gun at their front windshield. Deputies later reported finding a firearm and a spent shell casing inside the suspect’s vehicle.
Arrest and charges
Miami-Dade jail records show deputies arrested 33-year-old David Allen Snyder Jr., who was booked on charges that include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, attempted second-degree murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle and improper exhibition of a firearm, according to NBC 6 South Florida. The arrest report states a deputy saw Snyder pointing a gun at the victims’ vehicle, ordered him to drop the weapon and then took him into custody.
Scene and timeline
The confrontation unfolded around 12:40 p.m. in the 25200 block of South Dixie Highway, when the victims said they felt their car jolt and later noticed a man at the rear of the vehicle apparently trying to pull off the American flag, according to Local 10. The driver said they took off, heading into a shopping plaza at SW 264th Street and South Dixie Highway in an effort to get away.
The victims told investigators Snyder followed them into the plaza, repeatedly pointing a gun at their windshield as they tried to drive through the lot. They reported hearing a single gunshot while still in the plaza. A deputy arrived as the victims were exiting the shopping center and detained Snyder at the scene, according to the arrest report.
Deputies recover weapon
Investigators say they recovered a black handgun and one spent shell casing inside Snyder’s vehicle, and he was taken into custody without further incident, according to NBC 6 South Florida. While he was being placed in the deputy’s vehicle, Snyder allegedly blurted out, “this is an act of war,” the arrest report notes.
Booking and next steps
Snyder was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and was being held on an $18,000 bond as of Thursday morning, Local 10 reported. Authorities say he invoked his right to remain silent during booking. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation and has not released any information about a possible motive.
What the booking facility handles
Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center serves as an intake and processing hub for arrests in Miami-Dade County and maintains contact and visitation details for inmates, according to the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. Investigators say anyone with video or other information related to the incident can contact the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office as detectives continue to gather evidence.
