Man wanted for murder in Port St. Lucie shot and killed by Fort Lauderdale police
FORT LAUDERDALE - A wanted murder suspect out of Port St. Lucie was shot and killed Tuesday morning by Fort Lauderdale police following a chase that injured an innocent bystander, authorities said.
Manuel Sanabria, 41, was shot during the incident and taken for treatment to Broward Health Medical Center, where he later died, police said.
A man in his 60s who was working at an area business when he was struck by the suspect's fleeing pickup and pinned against a wall of the business was rushed for treatment to Broward Health Medical Center. He was said to be in critical condition Tuesday evening.
No officers were hurt during the incident, according to investigators.
Witnesses said they heard gunfire shortly before 9 a.m. at NW 15th Avenue and NW 7th Street.
"Earlier this morning we received information that a white male subject operating a silver/gray pickup truck was wanted for homicide out of Port St. Lucie. Our officers located the subject, a brief pursuit ensued, thereafter the subject stopped and engaged our police officers. Our officers took the action they felt was necessary to defend themselves," said Fort Lauderdale police Chief Patrick Lynn.
He said several officers fired their weapons.
"It sounded like Vietnam in a way like, it was just going off. All the shots and stuff, just going off," a resident in the area said.
According to police, the incident began with a police pursuit when officers saw the wanted suspect.
Surveillance video from cameras mounted on NW 8th Avenue at 15th Street shows 12 police cars following Sanabria.
During the police pursuit, Sanabria's truck left the roadway in the 800 block of NW 7th Street and veered onto the property of an auto shop.
Multiple unoccupied cars at the business and the man were struck by the suspect's fleeing vehicle, according to police.
"When they turned the corner, that pushed the car into him and the building was on the other side of him," said Lebrant Gray, the victim's cousin.
Sanabria was wanted by police for a murder Monday night in which a man was fatally shot inside his vehicle.
Port St. Lucie police said Sanabria was considered armed and dangerous.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the shooting since police officers were involved.
