Police pursuit through Hialeah ends in SWAT standoff, man in custody
MIAMI - Hialeah Police say a 53-year-old man with a "Mental crisis" surrendered peacefully at his home to a SWAT team on Wednesday afternoon.
After he had barricaded himself inside his house with a gun and drew the curtains.
There were some tense moments as police sealed off the streets around the home at 85 West 60th St. Wednesday afternoon.
Lt. Eddie Rodriguez of Hialeah Police said a family member alerted police that the unidentified man had been having some mental health issues.
"This is all because of 53-year-old man with a mental crisis. We received information from a family member that he was in crisis and suicidal."
A Be on the lookout bulletin had been issued for him and Rodriguez said his black SUV was first spotted in Miramar. That's where a police pursuit started.
Rodriguez said officers followed his car into Miami-Dade and Miami-Dade Police and Hialeah police also followed him as he went from the Florida Turnpike to a series of streets and ended up on the Gratigny Parkway on the way to his home.
Rodriguez told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "This was not a chase. We received information that he was headed back to Hialeah so we wanted to keep our eyes on him to make sure he was headed home and that was best because it is a controlled environment. The last thing we wanted was for something to happen in the middle of the street or the highway or where innocent people could get hurt. We were glad he want back home. At least at his home we could talk to him. This poor man was going through a lot with his family."
Rodriguez said, "Once again we want to thank the Hialeah Police negotiators and the SWAT team. They did such a good job persuading him to come out peacefully and now he will receive the help that he needs."
Rodriguez could not say why the man was having mental health issues but he did say he lost a gun to an accident involving a gun in 2019.
"A lot of people are alone but at least this man has family who care about him. There are always people who can turn to and you can always call 911."
Rodriguez said the man was being "Baker acted" and taken to a hospital.