Man, 31, arrested following vehicle, foot pursuit that wound through Miami streets

MIAMI —  A man was arrested Friday after he allegedly confronted his girlfriend’s father with a rifle at the dad’s business in Key Biscayne before leading police on a car and foot pursuit through Miami.

Police identified the man as Ashanti Erwin Earp, 31. He was taken to the Miami-Dade jail, where he was booked on several charges, including attempted aggravated assault with a weapon, fleeing/trying to elude police and resisting an officer without violence. 

Investigators said Earp struck a police car while trying to flee from police during an incident, which occurred after 11 a.m. 

According to police, Earp initially went to a Pita Pockets store at 180 Crandon Blvd., owned by his girlfriend’s father.

The father told CBS News Miami’s Peter D’Oench that the man showed up with a guitar case with an AK-47 assault-style rifle inside with plans to fight.

No one was hurt during the incident.

The father who has operated his business for eight years, declined to provide his identity or speak on camera in order to protect his family’s privacy.

Police said Earp fled from the scene when he heard police sirens, leaving the weapon behind. Later in the day, police were seen removing the guitar case from the store.

Former Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey was at the scene and was startled.

“This was definitely on anomaly on Key Biscayne,” he said. “I was walking to get sandwich and I walked up and I saw Miami Officers on the street and that was different and I noticed all of our units here and the police tape and I said that was odd.”

Police said after Earp left he sideswiped a Key Biscayne police car in Miami.

“Our officers are there every day to serve and protect and we should always remember that,” Davey said.

Police say the suspect then went to a Storage King Facility and could be seen from Chopper 4 getting in a black SUV and leaving from the building at NW 12th Avenue and 7th Street before weaving its way in and out of the streets of Miami.

The vehicle is seen getting on an entrance ramp to SR-836 and then slamming in to barricades on both side of the ramp before it comes to a stop.

Earp then abandoned the vehicle before running. He was seen throwing some item from the highway. After a few minutes, he abandoned the vehicle and crossed SR-836 with several police officers seen running after him.

Dozens of officers from Miami and Miami-Dade Police departments were seen converging on the suspect who was shirtless as he was taken into custody on NW 17th Avenue near the freeway.

Miami police spokesman Mike Vega said it was not clear who the lead agency would be in this case.

Vega said an initial report that this incident started with a domestic incident in the city of Miami could not be confirmed.