Veteran off-duty Miami-Dade police officer fatally shoots man at Homestead shopping plaza

MIAMI — A veteran off-duty officer with the Miami-Dade Police Department shot and killed a man Saturday evening during a run in with the man at a strip shopping center in Homestead, authorities said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting, which occurred around 6 p.m. in the Oasis Plaza, located at NE 8th Street, according to officials.

It was not immediately clear if the officer who was involved in the shooting and has been on the force for 30 yeas, will be placed on administrative duty while the FDLE investigation occurs.

Authorities said the man, who was not identified, allegedly fired several shots in the center’s parking lot before he encountered a security guard at the business. It was not immediately clear why the man was at the center or why he fired the weapon.

At some point, the situation escalated and the Miami-Dade officer, who was with his spouse at the center, confronted the man, according to investigators.

Police said the officer repeatedly asked the man to drop the weapon before he opened fire, killing the man. 

No other injuries were reported.