Police officer shoots, kills man in Miami Beach

Man refused to put gun down, police say

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A man was shot and killed by a Miami Beach police officer Friday morning, the Miami Beach Police Department said.

Miami Beach police said an officer driving south on Washington Avenue saw two large crowds involved in a "disturbance." Miami Beach's 911 Center received reports of the incident.

Faruk Ugucu, of Med Pizza, said two women were ordering food while their boyfriends waited outside in a Mercedes. He said the boyfriends came inside when other men started picking a fight.

Surveillance video from the restaurant showed a fight breaking out in the pizza shop. Men grabbed stools, and people hit the floor.

"Talking turned into aggressive fighting," Ugucu said. "They go outside. I thought it was over."

The owner of a bar next door said about a dozen people were yelling at one another, and at least one of them had a gun.

When the first responding officer arrived, police said one of the men involved in the fight was holding a gun and refused to put it down. 

"He drew down on the subject, ordered him several times to drop the gun, identifying himself as a police officer," said Miami Beach Assistant Police Chief Ray Martinez. "The subject did not drop the gun and had the gun pointed in the direction of the officer."

That's when the officer shot him in front of 1240 Washington Ave.

"Then I heard a shot, and when I turned around, the guy was on the floor right there," Ugucu said.

Police said the man was shot two or three times.

The man, who was shot in the torso, was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police later identified him as Marvin Pognon, 22, of Pembroke Pines.

Pognon's family said he carried a gun because he was a music promoter and needed it for protection. They added that he never would have pointed it at a uniformed officer.

"I want answers and I want justice," said Pauline Alexandre, Pognon's brother.

Police said the incident did not involve the nearby nightclub Mansion.

A gun was recovered at the scene, police said.

"We do have the gun. It was loaded. It did have a round in the chamber," Martinez said.

No other injuries were reported.

Witnesses said one thing was clear.

"The person who got shot did have a weapon, yes," the bar owner said.

Miami Beach police said the Department's Criminal Investigations Unit and the Internal Affairs Unit are investigating. The officer was put on administrative leave, per standard procedure.

Washington Avenue was shut down between 12th and 13th streets as police investigated.