A police shooting in downtown Miami Saturday morning left both an officer and a suspect wounded near Bayfront Park as the Ultra Music Festival takes place this weekend. Miami Police Department Chief Manny Morales said the incident appears to be an isolated incident despite the large crowds gathered in the area. Police said officers responded around 7 a.m. to a report of a man acting erratically at the Yve Hotel on Second Street.
Witnesses said the man, who appeared to be in his early 20s, appeared agitated and at one point removed his shirt and began yelling. Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation and used a Taser, but it was not effective. Police said an officer then fired, striking the man. Authorities said the man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital along with the officer, who was also injured.
“We probably have 150,000 folks coming into the city of Miami to enjoy not only Ultra, but we have a concert at the Kaseya (Center). We have a lot of activities, Marlins opening weekend. We have a lot of folks coming out here, so this is an anomaly, not what was expected,” Morales said. Both the suspect and officer are being treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. Police said the investigation remains ongoing, with a heavy law enforcement presence continuing in downtown Miami.
“We have enough resources here around downtown and our eastern urban core to ensure everyone can enjoy and have a safe time,” Morales said. The shooting occurred during one of Miami’s busiest weekends, with the Ultra Music Festival drawing massive crowds to Bayfront Park. The incident took place on Second Street at the Yve Hotel, just blocks from the festival grounds where thousands of attendees were expected throughout the weekend.
The timing of the shooting coincides with multiple major events in Miami, including concerts at the Kaseya Center and the Miami Marlins opening weekend. Police have not released additional details about what led to the officer’s injury or the specific circumstances that prompted the use of deadly force. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement typically investigates officer-involved shootings in Miami-Dade County.
Authorities have not identified the suspect or the injured officer involved in the Saturday morning incident. The investigation continues as Miami police work to determine the full sequence of events that led to the shooting. No timeline has been provided for when additional details about the incident will be released to the public.