Man shooting at buildings in Little Havana killed in gunfight with police, police say
A shootout involving Miami police officers in a residential neighborhood near the Miami River ended with a man dead, officials say. Before the gunfight began, frantic residents said he was firing a gun randomly.
Around 12:45 p.m., several 911 calls reported an armed man firing multiple shots into the air and at buildings near the intersection of Southwest Fifth Street and Fourth Avenue, Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said. That area is near Jose Marti Park.
When officers arrived, multiple shots were exchanged between police and the armed man, later identified by police as 64-year-old Ramon De Jesus Blanco. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other injuries have been reported. Miami Fire Rescue said they did respond to the incident but did not take any patients to a hospital.
“We’re still looking for any motive that might have caused this behavior today,” Morales said, adding that the man is believed to have lived in the area.
While there is no active threat, police said, residents are being told to avoid the area as the shooting investigation continues. At the scene, numerous police cars and crime scene vans blocked roads.
Nancy Montero was astonished when she heard of the shootout in her “very calm” neighborhood, she told the Herald. She thought it was a family fighting or “something normal.”
“I was shocked...I went downstairs and I saw a body covered by a white blanket,” she said.
Yunior González, who’s only been residing in the area for four months, said he was headed home when he noticed a heavy police presence and was unsure of what was happening. Shortly thereafter, he discovered bullet holes had pierced the building where he lived.
“I called my aunt to ensure everyone was safe, and fortunately, no one was home,” González said. “The patio where we sit every evening was damaged and hit.”
This story was originally published July 25, 2024 at 1:34 PM.
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