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Breaking News

Man Shoots Corrections Officer, May Have Hostages

Aired June 14, 2002 - 12:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to take you on to Miami, where this breaking story is now developing. Apparently, an off-duty corrections officer has been shot in the stomach, and the suspect is holed up in a house in the Coconut Grove section of Dade County, just one of the communities right outside of downtown Miami.

You're looking at a live picture now from WFOR. We're awaiting more information as to what exactly took place just prior to the shooting and immediately following.

All we know right now is that an off-duty corrections officer was shot in the stomach, and investigators are on the scene in Coconut Grove. We don't know the exact address in that Coconut Grove community just yet, but it is right next door to downtown Miami.

Our Susan Candiotti is in Miami in that area right now. She's on the telephone, and perhaps has a little bit more detail as to what happened and what is taking place there now -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I am actually not near the area right now, but I do have the information on it, as I am also watching the same picture that you are watching.

I have spoken to police who are the scene. And this is in the Coconut Grove area of Miami. They think that the suspect who was involved in the shooting of an off-duty corrections officer is inside one of these homes here, where they believe a woman and children may be inside.

A hostage negotiator has been brought in. And this also started at around 10:30 in the morning Eastern time in the Miami suburb of Coconut Grove. Evidently, according to the police, an off-duty state corrections officer was in this residential area, had stopped to ask for directions, when a young man, according to police, leaned inside of the car. A struggle ensued over a gun -- it's not clear whose gun it was -- and the corrections officer was shot in the stomach.

He was able to drive himself to a nearby gas station and get help. Meantime, police believe the shooting suspect ran into one of the homes here that you are looking at and, indeed, might be holding a woman and children hostage.

So you can see it is a very tense scene right now, as police have cornered off of the area and are -- have their guns trained on it. A lot of police officers in the area trying to determine what kind of situation that they have on their hands.

WHITFIELD: And so, Susan, we're gathering from what you just said that it appears at this juncture that this suspect just chose at random a house where there happens to be a woman and possibly some children inside?

CANDIOTTI: That's what it looks like. He took off -- if indeed this is the same suspect involved in the shooting, he took off after the shooting and ran randomly into a home.

WHITFIELD: OK. And what do we know about the condition of this corrections officer as of yet?

CANDIOTTI: We don't know yet. He was rushed to a local hospital. It's called Miami/Jackson Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. But evidently, very fortunately for him, he was at least able to drive himself away from the shooting scene to this gas station -- imagine -- and was able to get help for himself.

WHITFIELD: All right. Susan Candiotti on the telephone there from the Miami area as investigators are now looking into a shooting that took place in the Coconut Grove section of Miami just moments ago.

And we are still awaiting the condition, as you heard Susan say, of the corrections officer who was shot in the stomach. And police are surrounding a Coconut Grove home where the suspect is believed to be holed up, along with possibly a woman and children. We will be updating you on that.

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