MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A Miami Gardens police officer was arrested Thursday after investigators said he threatened his girlfriend with a handgun during an argument in Opa-locka, choked her and later tried to persuade her not to cooperate with detectives.

According to an Opa-locka Police Department arrest report, the suspect was identified as Kolei Kulani McKinney, 41, of northwest Miami-Dade. His attorney, Stephan Lopez, said McKinney is a Miami Gardens police officer and a U.S. Navy veteran.

The report states that McKinney and the victim had been in a romantic relationship for about eight months but maintained separate residences.

Investigators said the incident began around 5:45 a.m. July 17 after the couple, who were driving separately, stopped near Northwest 22nd Avenue and State Road 9 in Opa-locka following what the victim described as McKinney driving erratically.

According to the report, McKinney got into the passenger seat of the victim’s vehicle, where the two argued.

The victim told detectives McKinney said, “I can’t f---ing take this no more; I’m just going to end this s---,” before pulling a black handgun from his waistband, pointing and waving it toward the windshield," investigators said.

The report states the victim asked McKinney to put the firearm away. Instead, investigators said he threw it onto the dashboard, continued acting erratically and repeatedly struck the passenger-side dashboard.

According to the report, when the victim asked McKinney to leave her vehicle, he grabbed her by the neck with both hands and began choking her. Investigators said he then placed the handgun in the vehicle’s center console and told her, “Here, you want to end it, just f---ing end it.”

The victim told detectives she feared for her life because she did not know what McKinney intended to do after he pulled out a gun, according to the report.

Authorities said the victim reported the incident to the Miami Gardens Police Department on July 19, and an Opa-locka police officer completed the initial incident report.

According to investigators, McKinney was served with a temporary injunction on July 20. The victim later told detectives that McKinney contacted her and asked her to recant her statement and stop cooperating with the investigation, the report states.

The report also states that McKinney also contacted the victim by phone on July 22 while she was at work, prompting her to file a separate report with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department alleging he violated the temporary injunction.

Investigators noted they observed no visible injuries on the victim’s neck during an interview, and there were no known witnesses or surveillance video capturing the altercation.

Police said McKinney voluntarily surrendered at the Opa-locka Police Department on Thursday while accompanied by Lopez. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Jail records show McKinney is facing one count each of aggravated assault with a firearm, illegal use or display of a firearm while committing a felony and misdemeanor witness or victim tampering.

As of Friday evening, he remained jailed at TGK on a $6,000 bond.

In a statement to Local 10 News, Lopez said McKinney “vehemently denies these allegations” and alleged the claims were “manufactured by an obsessed woman” who had been stalking and harassing his client. Lopez also said McKinney previously sought, but was unable to obtain, an injunction against her for alleged stalking and harassment.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.