FL: *Breaking News* Suspect in police shootings not citizen

No online / official source yet - this was from a live verbal interview with reporter in the area (per Fox news) that was reporting on the background of shooting suspect: a "Kevin Wehner" - who said the suspect was "from the islands" - not a US citizen. The shooting happened as a group of officers tried to stop a vehicle in the suburban Miami area.

A large-scale manhunt is now underway in the area. Suspect is considered armed and dangerous.

4 police officers were shot with an assault type rifle. One officer has died, the others are undergoing medical attention.

I'll post a better link when I get one.
(This post: 11:18am Pacific)

Here's a link to the local news station that CNN and Fox use for updates:

http://www.local10.com/news/14106035/detail.html

Gee, I wish <edited - one of our regular posters> was logged on at the moment - I'm sure she could fill us in much better. (Let's hope she is not one of those directly affected by this).

See national update to date cable coverage at CNN, Fox, MSNBC:

www.foxnews.com

www.cnn.com

www.msnbc.com

Manhunt Under Way After Gunman Shoots 4 Florida Police Officers, Killing 1

Thursday, September 13, 2007

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CUTLER BAY, Fla. — A gunman shot and killed a Florida police officer and injured three others Thursday, prompting a massive manhunt and a lockdown of several Miami-area schools, officials said.

Kevin Wehner, 30, fired a high-powered weapon and fled the scene after officers approached his vehicle for a traffic stop, according to police.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, a former police officer, said the "extremely violent" suspect "assassinated" a police officer.

"We need to find him as soon as possible and make sure that he's behind bars, where he belongs," Alvarez said.

The three injured officers are in serious condition, but expected to survive, said a spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Police described Wehner as a black heavy-set male with a full beard and short hair, wearing a blue shirt. Authorities said he left his Honda near a canal.

Police plan to examine the vehicle for any type of evidence that could help find the suspect, said a spokeswoman for the Miami-Dade Police Department.

The officers were conducting burglary surveillance detail when they noticed a white Honda Accord being driven erratically at the entrance to a local neighborhood. When police stopped the vehicle the driver shot the four officers and fled, authorities said.

"Truly this is a sad day for Miami-Dade County," Alvarez said at an afternoon news conference. "It’s gut-wrenching; it makes you sick to your stomach."

"He is not a person of interest; he is the suspect that we are looking for," Alvarez said.

Hundreds of officers were combing the area for the suspect and at one point made a dump truck release its contents.

Click here for the story at WSVN.com.

Police were urging residents to lock their doors and stay inside as K-9 units and SWAT team members hunted the suspect.

Authorities had locked down Pines Villa Elementary, Mays Middle, Whigham Elementary and Centennial Middle schools. Children had the day off, but teachers were required to work.

One of the four officers shot, a female, was airlifted from the scene and was undergoing surgery for her injuries, Miami-Dade Police Detective Bobby Williams said.

Two of the victims were plainclothes officers and the other two were in uniform, Williams said.

The officers' identities were being withheld until their families were notified of the shootings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296702,00.html

4 Miami-Dade police officers shot, 1 dead; suspect fled

CUTLER BAY, Fla. (AP) -- A gunman armed with a high-powered weapon killed one Miami-Dade County police officer and injured three others Thursday and then fled the scene, causing a large manhunt that swept through a residential neighborhood, officials said.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez confirmed that one of officers died. All four had been brought to hospitals, but authorities refused to release further information on them because they were trying to notify their families.

Investigators were looking for the 30-year-old suspected shooter identified as Kevin Wehner, who was last seen driving a white Honda Accord, said police spokeswoman Linda O'Brien. There may have been another man involved in the shooting, she said.

The officers originally were conducting burglary surveillance when they stopped the man because he was driving a car erratically, O'Brien said. He then opened fire. It was not immediately clear if the officers returned fire.

After the shootings, officers were seen on live television coverage drawing their guns as they briefly surrounded a house and then moved on. They also searched through a garbage truck as others scoured a grassy area on foot.

Authorities said it was incomprehensible that four of their colleagues had been targeted.

"You say that it is not true," said Robert Parker, director of the Miami-Dade Police Department. "You doubt it for a second or two."

Alvarez said numerous agencies were assisting in the search for the suspect.

"We need the community's assistance in trying to locate this extremely dangerous individual who's still on the loose," he said.

Article Image

Cutler Bay is a suburb southwest of downtown Miami. Several schools in the area were on lockdown due to the search. Parts of Florida's Turnpike were shut down.

The shootings Thursday followed two other officers' shootings last month in neighboring Broward County. One was killed, the other was badly injured.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of this suspect, call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

http://www3.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI61405/

It is a very sad day for the police department and law enforcement in South Florida. Neighboring Broward County recenty had one deputy critically wounded by a person who has a immigration hold on him and another deputy was shot and killed and now this. I have not heard much more that th BOLOs that the department has put out on the police radio system. There have been rumors of the man being Jamacian. If I learn anymore I will add to it.
I have been in the area this happened in during training and it is full of blacks and Hispanics and many illegals. It is an area where I would advise anyone not to go into unless they are armed.

Thanks for the update swatchick!

I was hoping a). you're ok, and b). you'd chime-in on this one.

Be safe down there. :D :wink:

CNN (Chuck Roberts, John Zarella) reporting that the authorities are not exactly sure if they have the perp's correct ID information and/or whether the photo of the person they think is the suspect is correct.

Hmmmm... does this pattern of events sound familiar?

CNN now reporting that the perp's real name is not Kevin Wehner, but actually is: Shawn Labeet (25-yrs old).

The reason for the vague understanding for the ID of the suspect was due to the fact that "the suspect had assumed the identity of another man" - according to the spokeswoman that described the confusion in a press conference just now..

Also: "It appears that Kevin Wehner's identity was used by Labeet".