Miami Beach police talk down man pointing rifle at people
A Miami Beach man pointing a rifle outside his condo at passersby Friday afternoon led to the arrival of more than a dozen officers with high-powered guns. By early evening, negotiators de-escalated the crisis with the man, who was going through a mental-health crisis.
Around 5 p.m., police said they were aware of several 911 calls reporting a man pointing a rifle at people and a condo building near 1200 West Avenue, Miami Beach Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bess said.
Miami Beach police’s SWAT and hostage-negotiation teams quickly responded to the threat, Bess said. Negotiators spoke with the man, who was not identified, and talked him into surrendering without incident.
Due to his state of mind, Bess said, the man is in protective custody and will most likely be Baker Acted and taken to a mental-health facility.
As officers initially investigated, several streets were closed but have since been reopened.
