Shocking video: Standoff between police and escaped convict with hostages at Victoria's Secret in Miami ends with cops fatally shooting perp



Shocking video shows a harrowing situation when a man took hostages at knifepoint at a Victoria's Secret store in Miami Beach on Thursday. The nail-biting standoff ended with police fatally shooting the perp.

An escaped convict from New Hampshire took hostages at a Victoria's Secret store in Miami Beach, Florida.

Darien Young, 29, escaped from the minimum-security Calumet House Transitional Housing Unit near Concord, New Hampshire, on July 21, according to the New Hampshire Department of Corrections.

Young had been suspected of shoplifting at the lingerie store on Lincoln Road, WPLG reported.

Around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Young took a mother and daughter hostage at knifepoint at the Victoria's Secret store.

Officers with the Miami Beach Police Department responded to the hostage situation.

Young is seen on gripping video behind the store's checkout counter during the standoff clutching the neck of one of the hostages. The daughter is seen with her hands folded, seemingly in prayer.

A witness told WPLG that Young repeatedly shouted, "I'm gonna kill her, I’m gonna kill her, don’t make me hurt her don’t make me hurt her."

The police officer is heard telling the escaped convict, "Put it down man, please put it down."

Police shot the hostage-taker, who was then transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Young was in critical condition at the hospital's trauma unit, but reportedly died several hours later.

The Miami Beach Police Department said in a statement, "The two victims are safe and speaking with detectives."

None of the witnesses, police, or Victoria's Secret employees were harmed during the hostage situation and shooting.

The Miami Beach Police Department said the fatal officer-involved shooting will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

In New Hampshire, Young had been imprisoned for receiving stolen property, burglary, falsifying physical evidence, and drug charges. Officials from the New Hampshire Department of Corrections said Young was eligible for parole on July 31, with a maximum release date of Jan. 31, 2028.

Authorities said it was unclear why Young made the 1,500-mile journey from Concord, New Hampshire, to Miami Beach, Florida.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

(WARNING: Graphic video)

Miami Beach police shoot, kill Victoria's Secret hostage-taker www.youtube.com


Newly released footage shows heroic officer go from telling kids to wear their seatbelts to running towards gunfire and putting down mass mall shooter: 'I'm moving as fast as I can'



A 33-year-old gunman murdered eight people, including three children, and injured 10 others May 6 at the Allen Premium Outlets mall in Texas. The killer would likely have claimed more innocent lives had an Allen Police officer not run without hesitation toward the crackle of gunfire and "neutralized" the threat.

The Allen Police Department released the officer's body-worn camera footage Wednesday following a grand jury's determination that his use of force was justified under Texas law.

"This video shows how quickly a routine interaction with the public turned into a life-and-death situation," Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey said in a statement. "The officer recognized the danger, ran toward the gunfire and neutralized the threat — and for his actions, the Allen community is forever grateful."

At the beginning of the video, the unnamed officer can be seen addressing two little children in the mall parking lot, instructing them to follow their mother's guidance.

"Make sure y'all be good, okay?" says the officer. "And make sure you wear your seatbelts when Mommy's driving, okay?"

A little girl can be heard answering in the affirmative, but her brother is interrupted when a several gunshots ring out in quick succession. The mother quickly grabs her children by their hands and pulls them close.

The officer doesn't miss a beat.

"I think we got shots fired at the outlet mall," he says over his radio. "People running."

He reaches into his police cruiser, grabs his rifle, then orders passersby to safety: "Go, go, go! Keep moving!"

Running full-tilt through the parking lot to the far side of the mall, the officer closes in on the sound of screaming and additional gunshots.

Although he sounds slightly winded, he maintains his advance, noting over the radio, "I'm on foot. I need everybody I got. ... A real mass shooter. ... I'm moving as fast as I can."

"I'm by Tommy Hilfiger. I don't know where he's at," says the officer, scanning the arcade for the shooter.

Another barrage alerts the officer to the shooter's whereabouts. The officer rushes forward, spots the shooter, and lights him up with around 14 well-placed shots.

"I got him down," the officer announces, passing an abandoned baby carriage.

As fellow officers approach, the officer reiterates, "Damn, bro. Got 'em, bro," instructing the mass shooter's bullet-riddled corpse to "stay the f*** down."

The shooter had three weapons on his person and another five in his vehicle, reported CNN.

Watch the video here:

— (@)

The Texas Rangers and the Collin County District Attorney's office presented this footage and other evidence to a grand jury concerning the officer's use of force on Monday. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Craig Miller, a retired Dallas ISD police chief, told KDFW-TV, "His actions were unbelievable, the way that he was able to respond. ... He's doing exactly what he's trained. He's asking for backup. Immediately he gets on dispatch, tells him what he's got, but at the same time, he's running to the issue, running to this incident."

The victims of the mass shooting were: James Cho, 3; Sofia Mendoza, 8; Daniel Mendoza, 11; Christian LaCour, 20; Aishwarya Thatikonda, 27; Elio Cumana-Rivas, 32; Cindy Cho, 35; and Kyu Song Cho, 37.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Video: 3 police officers charged with murder; allegedly shot mother suffering mental health crisis

Video: 3 police officers charged with murder; allegedly shot mother suffering mental health crisis



Three police officers were charged with murder Friday after allegedly fatally shooting a woman believed to have been suffering a mental health crisis, authorities reported.

"The shooting officers' actions were not consistent with SAPD's policy and training," San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said during a press briefing shortly after the shooting.

"They placed themselves in a situation where they used deadly force which was not reasonable given all the circumstances as we now understand them."

The three officers involved in the shooting — Officer Nathaniel Villalobos, Officer Eleazar Alejandro, and Sergeant Alfred Flores — were immediately suspended without pay pending a full investigation, KWTX reported.

Melissa Perez, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS after allegedly being shot by SAPD officers.

"After reviewing the evidence of this case and speaking with the District Attorney's Civil Rights Division, warrants were issued for the three officers who shot and killed Melissa Perez," Chief McManus said, adding that the three were charged with murder and had already been taken into custody.

Chief McManus offered condolences to the entire family of Ms. Perez and offered assurances to the victim's daughter that the incident would be thoroughly investigated. Details on the woman's daughter were not provided at the press conference.

Officers were dispatched to the 6200 block of Old Pearsall around 12:27 a.m. for a vandalism incident in which a woman had reportedly cut some wires to a fire alarm panel in an apartment complex, Chief McManus said.

Perez had initially spoken with the fire department in the parking lot, McManus said.

The woman fled into her apartment and locked herself inside after officers identified her in a parking area, SAPD Lt. Michelle Ramos said, narrating a video that shows a blurred image of the woman outdoors with a dog near an apartment building.

Officers determined that the damage she allegedly did to the fire alarm was felony criminal mischief, Chief McManus said.

Officers followed her to her first floor residence. Attempting to arrest her, officers hopped over a railing and removed a screen from an already-open window at the rear of the apartment. Another group of officers were stationed at the front of the apartment, McManus also said.

On seeing the woman, who was inside her apartment, grab a hammer, an officer drew his weapon and told a dispatcher he had the suspect at gunpoint.

Additional officers joined the first.

The woman then threw a glass candle at the officers, striking one in the arm, causing minor injuries, Lt. Ramos said.

Officers communicated with the woman for more than 30 minutes through the open window.

"You ain't got no warrant," a woman is heard saying as an officer begins to make his way over the patio railing.

When officers got over the railing, the woman ran to the window and struck it with the hammer, shattering it.

At that point, one officer fired multiple rounds at the woman, apparently not striking her.

The woman, with the hammer still in her hand, moved back, but then approached the patio door.

All three officers then shot at the woman, including the officer who initially shot at the woman.

Officers entered the unit and rendered first aid. EMS later pronounced the woman deceased at the scene.

The SAPD and the Internal Affairs Unit are conducting separate and concurrent inquiries, and the investigation into use of deadly force could take more than a year. The Bexar County District Attorney's Office, as with other officer-involved shootings, will review their findings independently, according to the SAPD.

The San Antonio Police Department released video from the officer-involved shooting. TheBlaze cautions viewers that the video may be disturbing.



Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Sheriff's deputy killed while investigating a vehicle in a ditch with a possibly impaired driver

Sheriff's deputy killed while investigating a vehicle in a ditch with a possibly impaired driver



A sheriff's deputy who was shot and killed while investigating a vehicle in a ditch has been identified, WCCO reported.

Deputy Kaitie Leising, 29, of the St. Croix County Sheriff's Office in Wisconsin, was investigating a vehicle in a ditch with a possible impaired driver when she was killed in an exchange of gunfire Saturday, according to a statement from sheriff's office.

"Our love and condolences go out to the family of Kaitie Leising and all those with whom she served," Sheriff Scott Knudsen wrote, in part.

"We will miss her infectious smile and personality. She will be missed by all she touched."

The incident took place in the Township of Glenwood around 6:15 p.m. when Leising was dispatched to a drunk driving incident, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Glenwood is about 56 miles east of Minnesota's Twin Cities.

The driver, 34-year-old Jeremiah D. Johnson, repeatedly evaded Leising's attempts to administer a sobriety test. Johnson shot the officer once and fled. Leising shot back three times, but missed her target, the outlet also reported.

People at the scene attempted to help Leising, WBAY reported. She was transported to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.

About an hour after Leising was shot, officers searching the woods near the scene "saw Johson, heard a gunshot, and saw him fall down," the outlet also reported.

The involved individual was found deceased in a wooded area with a gunshot wound, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation said in a statement. The agency did not specifically name Johnson as that individual.

Condolences from law enforcement agencies and individuals rapidly poured in after the sad news broke.

The Wisconsin DOJ's DCI is leading the investigation. They will be assisted by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin State Crime Lab, and a DCI Crime Response Specialist. The results of their investigation, once concluded, will be turned over to the St. Croix County District Attorney.

Deputy Leising served with SCCSO since 2022. Before that, she served for two years with Pennington County Sheriff's Office in South Dakota, SCCSO reported.

WCCO's Nick Streiff shared video of officers saluting and people filling overpasses on Interstate 94 as Deputy Leising's body was returned to Wisconsin.

\u201cOfficers saluted and people filled nearly every overpass on Interstate 94 as the body of Deputy Kaitie Leising was brought back to Wisconsin this afternoon.\n\nDeputy Leising was shot and killed in the line of duty on Saturday evening.\n\nMore: https://t.co/ynzpP7U6wt @WCCO\u201d
— Nick Streiff (@Nick Streiff) 1683514472

Watch additional WCCO coverage of Deputy Kaitie Leising's death in the line of duty below.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Massive crowd riots after officer-involved shooting in Minneapolis



A vast crowd of 100 to 200 people marched toward the Brooklyn Center Police Department in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday evening following an officer-involved shooting, NBC News reports.

Police fatally shot a black motorist during a Sunday traffic stop, sparking riots just miles from where George Floyd took his last breath in May.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) identified the motorist as 20-year-old Daunte Wright.

What are the details?

The unruly crowd — which threw rocks and other objects at the department building — gathered outside the police department, prompting the state to mobilize its National Guard.

The outlet also noted that there were reports of shots fired in the area of the department as officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas at rioters.

"The front door of the Brooklyn Park Police Department ... was struck by gunfire, shattering the glass, police said in a statement," NBC News reported. "Brooklyn Park Police officers were not involved in the shooting but assisted Brooklyn Center Police with the 'civil unrest' that took place after, the department said."

Police in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, have fired a whole lot more smoke and chemical agents at protesters who are a… https://t.co/xWL46aSkrl
— Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs (@Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs)1618196908.0

The damage wasn't just contained to the department building, authorities said. Approximately 20 businesses were broken into and vandalized at a nearby shopping center.

According to reports, members of Wright's family as well as friends were among the protesters who marched in the streets, carrying flags and signs that read, "Black Lives Matter."

Authorities ordered a curfew through Monday morning.

USA Today reported on Monday that Minneapolis Mayor Mike Elliott is set to hold a news conference on the incident Monday morning at Brooklyn Center City Hall.

In a statement, Elliott said, "Our hearts are with (Wright's) family, and with all those in our community impacted by this tragedy. While we await additional information from the BCA who is leading the investigation, we continue to ask that members of our community gathering do so peacefully, amid our calls for transparency and accountability."

What do we know about the shooting?

Katie Wright, the victim's mother, told reporters that she received a phone call from her son on Sunday afternoon telling her that police pulled him and his girlfriend over for reportedly having air fresheners dangling from the vehicle's rearview mirror.

It is illegal to hang anything from rearview mirrors in Minnesota.

Katie said she told her son to put the officer on the phone so she could provide insurance information.

The last thing she heard was police telling her son to get out of the vehicle and demanding he refrain from running.

"I heard police officers say, 'Daunte, don't run,'" she recalled. The call ended, she said, and she immediately phoned back and reached her son's girlfriend.

"A minute later I called, and his girlfriend answered, which was the passenger in the car, and said that he'd been shot," Katie said.

In a statement, Brooklyn Center Police said that officer pulled a man over for a traffic violation on Sunday afternoon and discovered that he had an outstanding warrant. As police attempted to take the subject into custody, he reportedly attempted to get back into the vehicle. One officer shot the subject, who attempted to drive off. The subject was able to drive several blocks before striking another vehicle. The subject reportedly died at the scene.

In a Sunday night statement, Walz said, "I am closely monitoring the situation in Brooklyn Center. Gwen and I are praying for Daunte Wright's family as our state mourns another life of a Black man taken by law enforcement."

I am closely monitoring the situation in Brooklyn Center. Gwen and I are praying for Daunte Wright’s family as our… https://t.co/MkjJF8eXkI
— Governor Tim Walz (@Governor Tim Walz)1618196578.0

Black man killed by sheriff's deputies in Los Angeles after they confront him for riding bike illegally



Protests broke out in south Los Angeles on Monday after Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a black man they stopped for riding a bike illegally, ABC News reported.

The speed with which anti-police protests mobilized after the shooting highlight the extreme tension surrounding the issue of police violence against minorities. A day later, there are still few details available on the incident, and the L.A. County Sheriff's Department is urging the public to be patient with the investigation.

"Give us time to conduct our investigation," Lt. Brandon Dean said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "We will get all of the facts of this case and eventually present them."

What happened?

According to Dean, two deputies saw a man riding a bike in violation of vehicle codes Monday afternoon. Dean said he doesn't know what the specific violation was.

The deputies confronted the man, who has been identified as 29-year-old Dijon Kizzee. Dean said that Kizzee dropped his bike and fled when the deputies attempted to make contact with him.

They caught up to Kizzee after about a block, and Kizzee allegedly punched one of them in the face. During the altercation, Kizzee dropped a bundle of clothes he was carrying, and the deputies spotted a gun on the ground in the clothes. Both deputies shot Kizzee, killing him.

A witness video posted to social media shows a clip of the deputies chasing Kizzee down the street, and a subsequent clip shows the moments after they shot him.

Content warning: vulgar language and potentially disturbing imagery:

Shooting by police on 109th/Normandie in Los Angeles. Killed with 27 shots. And then they handcuffed him dead. https://t.co/YG20VaqKTI
— lovinglynn (@lovinglynn)1598924046.0

What we still don't know

There are crucial details missing at this time, as authorities continue to investigate the shooting. We don't know what the initial violation was that caused the deputies to pursue Kizzee. We don't know whether Kizzee was in legal possession of the weapon he was carrying. We don't know whether Kizzee was attempting to reach for or use his weapon against the deputies when they shot him or whether he simply dropped it on the ground.

Still, a large group of protesters marched on the sheriff's department Monday evening and night, chanting and protesting what they believe was another unjust killing of a black man. In the past six months, the police killings of Breonna Taylor in Louisville and George Floyd in Minneapolis and most recently the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, have spurred a perpetual state of protest and rioting in some parts of the United States.