Florida State Investigators Lead Review After Miami-Dade Deputy Fires During Northwest Miami-Dade Traffic Stop

What happened

An investigation is underway after a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy discharged a service weapon during a traffic stop in Northwest Miami-Dade on Sunday, December 28, 2025. The incident occurred in the West Little River area, near Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 95th Street, after a deputy located a vehicle believed to be stolen.

Authorities said the deputy initiated the stop after receiving an alert tied to the vehicle. As the deputy approached, an altercation began and the deputy fired, striking the vehicle. The vehicle then fled and was later found abandoned nearby.

Immediate aftermath and evidence recovered

Law enforcement reported that a firearm was located inside the abandoned vehicle. The driver ran from the area and had not been taken into custody as of the most recent official updates. No deputies were reported injured during the encounter.

Because the driver left the scene, authorities have not released a public identification of the individual connected to the vehicle. The sheriff’s office has asked anyone with information related to the incident or the person’s location to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).

Who is investigating and what comes next

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation, following standard practice in Florida when a law-enforcement officer discharges a firearm. The review typically focuses on reconstructing the encounter and documenting the sequence of events.

Key pieces of evidence in deputy-involved shooting inquiries commonly include:

• vehicle location data and documentation of the alleged theft alert that initiated the stop
• scene evidence from the roadway and the recovered firearm
• body-worn camera and in-car video, if available, plus any nearby surveillance footage
• radio traffic, dispatch logs, and witness interviews
• firearm discharge documentation and a detailed timeline of the pursuit and recovery of the vehicle

Context: a series of high-profile deputy-involved shootings in Miami-Dade

The incident comes amid heightened attention on deputy-involved shootings in Miami-Dade County in recent years, including cases tied to traffic stops and confrontations in public spaces. In June 2025, a man was shot and killed after authorities said he fled an attempted traffic stop and later emerged armed in a residential area. In a separate case, authorities released video in November 2025 from a September deputy-involved shooting in Miami Gardens involving a homicide suspect who had fled on foot and climbed a tree.

Deputy-involved shooting investigations in Florida typically proceed on two tracks: a criminal inquiry led by state investigators and an administrative review within the agency to evaluate policy compliance.

State investigators have not announced when findings from the Northwest Miami-Dade traffic-stop investigation will be completed.