A wanted federal fugitive was taken into custody Thursday at a Walgreens in Hialeah after an hours long multi-agency operation that began on Wednesday.
The takedown, which included the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Hialeah Police Department, occurred at W 12th Avenue and W 68th Street. The suspect had been tracked down since Wednesday and was finally located at the Walgreens.
Video posted by the account “Only in Dade” showed officers swarming a man and taking him into custody on W 68th Street. FHP confirmed that the man apprehended is the fugitive they were searching for during the manhunt.
Authorities are currently awaiting information from FHP regarding the man’s identity and the reason he was wanted.
However, they say he is facing charges such as aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, resisting with violence, and grand theft, with the potential for more charges to come.
The suspect was involved in a routine traffic stop that turned into a multi-agency chase the day before
The incident began on Wednesday when Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers attempted to pull over a white Dodge pickup truck traveling south on Okeechobee Road near Pembroke Road. Investigators reported the driver refused to stop, sparking a chase.
The situation intensified when the driver eventually exited the truck and fled on foot near Northwest 137th Avenue. A large-scale search commenced immediately.
From the air, a police helicopter circled the area while officers set up blockades on the ground and deployed a K-9 unit in an effort to track down the suspect.
The search caused major disruptions for people trying to get through the area, with some waiting for hours as roads remained shut down.
Gus Mirand, who was among those impacted, said he was initially prevented from moving through the area. “The police, they don’t allow us to go back there because they were looking for somebody,” Mirand said.
Mirand stated that he was told the delay would be short, but the wait far exceeded the initial estimate. “The cops said you have to wait at least 30 minutes. That 30 minutes has been two hours already,” he said.
It remains unclear what led up to the initial traffic stop.
