A Miami Gardens dad was shot and killed by police. His family says officers have it wrong
The family of a Miami Gardens man killed during an undercover operation by law enforcement late Thursday night is disputing the police narrative, saying he was an innocent bystander who was gunned down after running outside during a commotion.
Angela Lewis, the mother of 27-year-old Daniel Lewis was shot and killed by police, said her son was inside the home unaware of what was happening when his sister bailed from a car and ran into the home through a rear door as law enforcement officers approached on the front lawn.
“My son went outside to see what was going on and they shot him five times. They didn’t say anything to me. They didn’t tell me why,” Angela Lewis said. “No one tried to administer CPR. No one tried to help him. They just stood over him.”
Angela Lewis said her son likely grabbed a gun before he ran outside. But she was adamant he didn’t fire the weapon. She said she watched him get shot from inside the home before running out and seeing him “take his last breath.”
Daniel Lewis, according to his mother, is the father of a 6-year-old girl and a barber who had just obtained his high school degree.
Miami Gardens Police Sgt. Emmanuel Jeanty said officers working with federal agents were conducting surveillance in an area that has seen several shootings involving high-powered weapons the past few weeks. They began following the vehicle that ended up at the Lewis home in the 16100 block of Northwest 27th Place.
Some of the people in the car, he said, bailed out near the home where there was an exchange of gunfire with police. Jeanty wouldn’t say if Daniel Lewis fired his weapon and couldn’t confirm Angela Lewis’ story about her 17-year-old niece jumping out of the car and running into the home.
“We have a police car with bullet holes in it,” Jeanty said.
Jeanty said several weapons were recovered outside the Lewis home. Angela Lewis said her 25-year-old nephew, who also jumped out of the vehicle, was taken into custody after lying down on the lawn. She said he’d been released by Friday afternoon.
Steadman Stahl, president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, said multiple people were in the car before Angela Lewis’ daughter and nephew bailed out. Like Jeanty, the Miami Gardens spokesman, Stahl said it was too early to determine if Daniel Lewis fired his weapon and that everyone’s role will be determined after an investigation.
Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said it was too early to determine who fired weapons. She said no law enforcement officers were harmed.
After Daniel Lewis was shot, Noel-Pratt said three others were taken into custody. Their status was unknown as of Friday afternoon.
“If folks are brazen enough to fire at our officers ... they will be dealt with accordingly,” Noel-Pratt said at the scene.
