Miami, Florida – A violent altercation at a Miami-area bar led to a deadly exchange of gunfire between police and an armed patron in the early hours of Saturday morning. Authorities revealed that the local police department had previously conducted a mass shooter drill at the same location just last year.
The incident unfolded on the patio of the Martini Bar after a dispute caught the attention of a security guard around 3:30 a.m. One of the feuding patrons allegedly shot and killed the guard, triggering a chaotic shootout between the gunman and two Doral police officers at the bar.
Unfortunately, the patron responsible for the guard’s death was also killed in the shootout. One of the officers sustained a gunshot wound, along with six civilians at the scene, two of whom are in critical condition. Detective Alvaro Zabaleta emphasized that it is still too early to determine whose gunfire struck the injured individuals.
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez revealed that a year prior, his department had participated in a training exercise focused on responding to mass casualties and active shooter scenarios at the same bar where the tragic incident occurred. Chief Lopez stated that the cause of the initial altercation that resulted in the gun battle remains unknown.
Authorities have not released further details about the incident at this time. The community is left grappling with the aftermath of the violent confrontation that unfolded at the bar, as questions about the sequence of events and the motivations behind the deadly exchange of gunfire linger.