HIALEAH, Fla. — Police arrested a Hialeah man on two criminal charges on Monday after they said he pulled a knife on and threatened to kill an off-duty state wildlife officer who confronted him for shoplifting.
According to Hialeah police, the incident happened just after 4:30 p.m. at the Publix at 1585 W. 49th St., next to the Westland Mall.
Police said the off-duty Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement officer saw Edwin Soto, 43, stuffing items into a book bag.
An arrest report states that the officer displayed his badge in an effort to stop Soto, but Soto exited the store, then pulled a knife on the officer and said “that he was going to kill him.”
Authorities said he began walking on West 16th Avenue, where officers detained him. They said they found “six bottles of Advil and three bottles of Tylenol” worth a little less than $190 in his bag.
Officers arrested Soto on charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and petit theft.
Miami-Dade court records show that Soto has an extensive history of arrests in the county, mainly for drug and theft charges. State corrections records show he served about six months in prison for robbery and heroin possession.
As of late Tuesday morning, Soto was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on an $8,000 bond.
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