1 injured in police-involved shooting at Aventura Mall parking garage

Police say suspect shot in arm; no officers injured

AVENTURA, Fla. – A 19-year-old man was shot in a police-involved shooting at Aventura Mall on Wednesday morning, the Aventura Police Department said.

Sky 10 was above the scene shortly before 1 p.m. as a fire-rescue truck and police cars were spotted outside a parking garage near Bloomingdale's and Macy's.

Aventura police said two people were spotted in a stolen burgundy Honda Accord about 12:20 p.m.

Sgt. Chris Gorantis said an officer recognized the parked car and ordered the driver and passenger to get out. Gorantis said the man took off in the second floor of the parking garage on the east side of the mall and tried to run over the officer.

The suspect slammed into a number of cars in the garage, including the officer's vehicle and a garage pillar, while trying to escape, Gorantis said.

He said the officer fired one shot at the suspect, striking him in the arm.

"Clearly, this individual who was operating the vehicle had absolutely no regard for anybody's safety," Gorantis said.

The suspect was taken to Aventura Hospital and Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

A 19-year-old woman who was riding in the stolen car was not injured. Police said the woman was also taken into custody because there was an active warrant out for her arrest.

This is the second police-involved shooting at the mall in recent years.

In 2009, police said they were forced to fire at Audley Sylvester Clarke, then-23, after he waved a gun at someone during a road-rage incident.

In that incident, Clarke ran into a parking garage while fleeing from officers, police said. He survived his injuries and was taken to jail after being released from the hospital.

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MAP: Shooting at parking near Bloomingdale's


About the Authors

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.

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