MIRAMAR, FLA. – Pandemonium erupted in a residential area of Miramar as bullets were sprayed during an altercation, resulting in two individuals requiring hospital treatment. This event triggered a tumultuous sequence of incidents that included a car theft from a local grocery store and a suspected pursuit which finally led to one alleged participant being apprehended. Miramar’s local law enforcement stated that the disarray unfolded at the Epic Residences on Southwest 122nd Avenue, in the vicinity of Miramar Parkway, at about 2:45 p.m. on a recent Saturday.
The investigation department stated that a dispute in the proximity of some apartment buildings in the area escalated into this chaos with an eruption of gunfire. Approximately 20 shots were unleashed during the exchange, with the alleged instigators firing at each other before scattering in different directions.
A resident of the area, Felipe Larramende, recalled that he was outdoors during the occurrence, with his toddler son. His account detailed an argument taking place near a vehicle, followed by threats of death and then, the initiation of gunfire. Shocked and terrified, Larramende sprung into action to protect his son.
Upon hearing the escalating arguments and threats, Larramende knew he had to act fast. His first and only instinct was to gather his young child and sprint away as rapidly as possible, as bullets whizzed past them. In his recounting of those fraught moments, he expressed the fear not for himself, but for the safety of his child.
Authorities revealed that one of the individuals involved in the incident subsequently fled to a local supermarket where they forcefully commandeered a woman’s vehicle. Law enforcement officers were fast to arrive on the scene and set up a perimeter in the vicinity of the chaotic turn of events.
Investigators then engaged in a short pursuit of the suspect who had hijacked the car, which concluded when the individual abandoned the vehicle and attempted to escape on foot. However, the law enforcement officers were able to close in and apprehend the suspect.
In the aftermath of the incident, two individuals were identified with gunshot injuries. Responders from the Miramar Fire Rescue team were on hand to swiftly transport one of the injured to a hospital nearby. The other victim, however, managed to independently navigate their way to receive medical assistance.
As of late on that same Saturday night, the condition of these two victims remains unconfirmed. Investigators have communicated that they are still on the trail of two more suspects believed to be involved in this unsettling incident. A police cordon has been set up around the vicinity of the Aldi supermarket and the adjacent apartments in order to safeguard the crime scene and continue the manhunt.
The scene of the crime remained cordoned off for several hours following the incident. Observers could still make out the evidence markers put down in the parking area of the apartment complex, a grim reminder of the day’s events for the community residing there.
Local resident Larramende was left rattled by the incident, shocked at the danger that had come so close to his own home. He revealed a chilling piece of evidence – a bullet that had gone all the way through his apartment window.
This looked almost like something out of a movie; the bullet had ended up inside his home, cutting a deadly path through the air and could have, he said, fatally wounded his mother who was in the kitchen. The near miss left Larramende and many other residents feeling vulnerable and fearful for their safety from such unanticipated violence.
Reflecting the sentiments of many residents in the area, Larramende voiced his feelings of jeopardy and insecurity. This feeling was widespread among the community, as people processed the horrifying incident that had taken place right on their doorsteps.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office has joined hands with local law enforcement as the investigation into the incident continues. The multifaceted investigation looks into all aspects of the events of that day – from the argument and gunfire at the residential complex, to the subsequent carjacking, and finally, the pursuit of the suspects.