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Miami police released bodycam footage last December from the controversial shooting of a man holding a woman hostage with a machete.
According to WPLG, in March 2023, police received a 911 call of a man walking around a neighborhood with a large knife.
North Miami Beach Police Chief Harvette Smith described how the officers found the man, later identified as Edridge Alexis. The officers requested that Alexis put down the machete and he refused.
Video footage of this standoff was posted by WPLG in March and shows Alexis holding the machete to his own neck.
“My officers then tased that subject, the subject fled into the building, the office building behind me,” Smith said.
*graphic*
— Donut Operator 🍩 (@DonutOperator) February 12, 2024
Some of the best shooting I’ve ever seen by a cop.
Miami, 2023.
Officer’s received calls that a dude was loitering with a machete in his hand.
They showed up to see what was up and the 38 year old suspect ran inside a business, taking a woman hostage.
The officer… pic.twitter.com/7TMX8Pj9gt
Holding A Woman Hostage
Once in the building, Alexis was cornered on the first floor, where he grabbed a woman and held her hostage.
In December, the Miami Police released bodycam footage of the moment that the woman was held hostage with a machete.
With Alexis holding the machete at the woman’s neck, police can be heard in the footage, trying to calm both the suspect and the victim.
“She’s not doing anything,” the officers said. They repeated the words “let’s talk” multiple times, encouraging Alexis to release the woman and have a conversation.
“Just relax, man,” the officer said. “We’re going to get this worked out and everything is going to be just fine.”
Alexis became more agitated and was repeatedly ordered to drop the weapon.
Given Little Choice
“The machete was pointed at her neck, in an attempt to kill her,” Smith said. Eventually, the police ran out of options.
“The subject refused to drop the knife at that point, making my officers result to using deadly force to save a life,” Smith said.
The officers fired three shots and immediately recovered the hostage woman. The footage shows them guiding her outside to check her for injuries.
The officers attempted life-saving measures on Alexis, but he died from the bullet wounds.
An Angry Family
In the aftermath, the family of the 38-year-old suspect expressed shock that he would do anything so violent.
READ MORE: Illinois Institutes Universal Background Checks, Gun Confiscation Task Force
His brother, Wilkenson Alexis, admitted that the suspect had mental problems. He accused the police of executing a shooting that he alleged was not merited.
“Nah, he ain’t like that,” the brother said.
According to NBC Miami, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is following standard procedure in the investigation. No information has been released regarding legal repercussions.
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What’s the matter, don’t you guys like my comments anymore? I still like you.
I’m surprised the nut job didn’t have a gun instead of just a machete. In Florida crazy people with criminal records are allowed to buy guns. I’m glad my state has background checks. Just a shame that we also have assholes like Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul who refuse to take the guns away from the bad guys.
Looks like problem solved, family never wants to admit that their family member was a piece of shit.