Man shot by Miami police during mental health crisis charged with assaulting officers

Donald Armstrong was shot multiple times by Miami police on his mother’s porch in Liberty City after she called 911 to protect him earlier this month. Now, a conflicting narrative has emerged: the responding officers are accusing Armstrong of assaulting them, court documents reveal.

Armstrong, 47, was charged with aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, a felony, and resisting an officer without violence, a misdemeanor. He was booked Sunday into the Miami-Dade County Pre-Trial Detention Center and remains jailed as of Tuesday afternoon.

He appeared in bond court Monday for the misdemeanor charge — his bail was set at $500. A judge has yet to set a bond for the felony charge, though court records indicate he retained a public defender and has since pleaded not guilty.

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Assistant public defender Matthew Corbett did not immediately respond to comment.

Miami police also did not comment on the arrest. Police Chief Manuel Morales, in a March 8 statement, said: “Transparency and accountability to our community will always remain our goal…I pledge to ensure that our department does better in addressing calls involving mental and behavioral issues.”

“I am asking all of us to pray for Mr. Armstrong and his family during this difficult time,” he said.

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This is a developing story.