AVENTURA, Fla. – A Miami Gardens police officer who was shot while sitting in his patrol car last week was released Tuesday from Aventura Hospital.
Local 10 News was at the hospital Tuesday afternoon as Officer David Starling was brought to an awaiting police vehicle in a wheelchair. He refused to speak to reporters.
The shooting was reported Friday near Northwest 183rd Street and Northwest Seventh Avenue.
Miami Gardens Police Chief Antonio Brooklen said Starling was filling out the report when a black BMW sport utility vehicle passed by and the driver, identified as David Mejia, 24, "backed up and ambushed the officer."
The officer was struck once, but he got on his police radio, called for backup and gave a description of the SUV, Brooklen said.
Mejia is accused of firing at other police officers as they chased after him, and he was eventually caught in a nearby backyard.
Starling, who is an eight-year veteran of the Miami Gardens Police Department, was shot once in the buttocks.
Mejia faces multiple charges, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
A motive for the ambush remains unclear.