Police: Homestead cop kills gun-wielding man

A Homestead police officer shot and killed a gun-wielding man from his police car late Thursday afternoon, police said.

Miami-Dade Police Det. Marjorie Eloi said the officer was responding to a call about a man with a gun near a building under construction. She said he gave a verbal warning and “a firearm was brandished.”

The officer opened fire, but it is not clear how many shots were fired at Edward Foster III, 35, who was taken to Kendall Regional Medical Center, where he later died.

Eloi said the officer did not leave his car. “We can confirm that a firearm was recovered on scene,” said Eloi, saying the gun belonged to Foster. Miami-Dade Police investigate police shootings in Homestead.

This is not the first time officer Anthony Green has been involved in deadly police shootings, Homestead Det. Fernando Morales said Thursday.

In 2007, Green shot and killed Anthony Cinotti, a convicted murderer trying to woo back his ex-girlfriend, Caridad Toledo. Cinotti pulled out a knife inside his car and began stabbing her and her 11-year-old son.

He was cleared in that shooting, and named a finalist for the Police Benevolent Association's Officer of the Year Awards for staving off a domestic violence incident.

In 2005, Green also shot and killed Jason Williams during a fight. Williams was unarmed. Green was cleared in that shooting.

In 2008, Green fired at least two shots at a burglary suspect in an armed robbery. Wilmar Bolton was shot in the abdomen; the resolution of the case was unclear Thursday night.

In Thursday’s shooting, neighbors and the victim’s sister said they couldn’t believe the father of six caused any trouble. But state records show Foster was on probation for a conviction on a 2011 armed robbery and attempted murder case. He served 364 days in jail and was put on five years of probation.

Adrina Foster, who identified herself as Edward Foster’s sister, said her brother “did not walk out with no gun.” She said her brother was on his way home from his job at nearby supermarket.

His sister Crystal Foster lay on the floor not far from where her brother was shot and cried.

“Lord, Jesus, I can’t believe they shot my brother,” she said.

The shooting happened near a partially built building at the intersection of Southwest 328th Street and 187th Avenue shortly after 4 p.m.

The pink and gray cement empty building is not far from a Family Dollar store that is also under construction.

Nearby is at least one other business, a meat market, and homes.

According to a law enforcement source, Homestead police received calls about a man with a gun hanging out his waistband.

In his patrol car, Green pulled up and rolled down his passenger-side window. After a brief exchange of words, the source said, Foster reached toward his waistband and Green fired — while he was seated behind the wheel of his patrol car.

Afterward, another officer tried rendering medical aid while paramedics were called to the scene. Investigators recovered Foster's 9mm Sig Sauer pistol, the source said.

After the shooting people gathered near the Family Dollar to see what was going on.

A woman who identified herself as Shari, who works at M & M Meat Market, which is across the street from the shooting, said the man “was a regular at her father’s store.”

Foster’s mother Altie Banuchi, said her son was just coming home from work.

It was the second police-involved shooting in South Florida this week. On Sunday night a Plantation police officer fired an electronic Taser at a man who the officer said punched him in the face. The officer said that when the Taser had no effect, he shot and killed the man.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Police: Homestead cop kills gun-wielding man."