NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A man was hospitalized after a North Miami Beach police officer opened fire during what investigators say began as a hoax stabbing call.
Local 10 News received surveillance footage from a nearby store.
Crime scene tape stretched across the 1600 block of 164th Street on Saturday as detectives gathered evidence.
A family member told Local 10 News the suspect is a 21-year-old man who struggles with mental health issues.
Police have since identified the man as Roosevelt Joseph.
“I heard some gun — ‘boom, boom’ three times,” said Maria Silva, who lives nearby.
North Miami Beach Police Chief Juan Pinillos said officers responded around 9:40 a.m. after a caller reported a stabbing had occurred.
“A call was received that a male had stabbed a victim,” Pinillos said. But when officers arrived, no victim was found. Instead, they encountered a man with a knife.
“The officers gave the male several verbal commands to drop the knife and then he charged at the officers.”
Pinillos said officers then opened fire, striking the man.
“It appears the call was a bogus call, possibly placed by the suspect. He looked like he wanted the encounter with the police officers,” Pinillos added.
Radio dispatch audio suggested the suspect admitted to fabricating the call.
“There’s no one stabbed. He lied and contacted the police. He tried to stab,” an officer was heard saying over the radio.
“This is still fresh. We’re still trying to piece everything together. It could have been a suicide by cop, could have been someone in a mental crisis that was seeking a different alternative,” Pinillos said.
“We can’t predict these types of things; happen all the time. It’s unfortunate that it happened,” he added.
The 21-year-old’s father told Local 10 News he has not been able to see his son since he was admitted to the hospital, but confirmed that he has undergone surgery.
He wants to know more details about what happened prior to the shooting.
Officials said Joseph was listed in stable condition as of Sunday morning. Investigators said he could face charges.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting, per standard protocol.
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