Miami-Dade police officers identified after fatal shooting of 21-year-old man

Officers employed for more than 8 years by MDPD

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade police on Wednesday identified two officers involved in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old man as Officer Andrew Garcia and Officer Jesus Coto.

Both officers have been employed by the Miami-Dade Police Department for more than eight years and are currently assigned to the department's South District general investigation unit.

Police said the officers pulled over the driver of a black Nissan Altima on Friday in the 10100 block of West Indigo Street who was driving erratically.

Police said the driver stopped and the passenger took off running.

They said one of the officers began to run after the passenger, but encountered the driver, who they said was armed with a gun.

Shots were fired and the driver, Jamar Rollins, 21, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Multiple witnesses told Local 10 News that they saw Rollins with his hands up at the time of the shooting, but authorities dismissed those claims as "rumors."

"The reason we're saying they are rumors is because not one person has come forward yet to Florida Department of Law Enforcement to say they witnessed that," Miami-Dade police director Juan Perez said Tuesday night during a community meeting.

Rollins' aunt responded to Perez's comment. 

"That's not a rumor, though, because if Channel 10 was able to find witnesses and put them on the news last night, then why can't the police department?" Karen Harris said. 

During the meeting in the Perrine neighborhood, police claimed that the officers were in the area to prevent a reported retaliatory shooting.

Officers are still searching for the passenger, identified as Devin Smith.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.


About the Author:

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