By Carlos Miller
This is getting to be big; the story of the Miami Beach cop who killed two unarmed men in a span of four days.
Today, The New York Times has an article on the situation. That’s big time. You know they don’t write about every officer-involved shooting in the country. They wouldn’t have enough space.
Today, I wrote an article for NBCMiami about newly surfaced audio clips from the moments after the first shooting. They were recorded by the cell phone of the surviving brother. So far, I’m the only one who has the story although I know the rest of the media has the audio clips. So I’m sure they’ll be more articles on this soon.
In one of the clips, you can clearly hear a cop say “we didn’t find anything” as if referring to not finding any weapons or bottles on Husien Shehada, the 29-year-old Virginia tourist they had just killed.
But police had been saying he was packing a bottle or a coat hanger, which is why he was shot.
They also said the second man they shot had shot at them first, but it later turned out, he was unarmed when they killed him. Police say they found a gun in the waters below the bridge, which may or may not be his.
It doesn’t look too good for the Miami Beach Police Department right now.
Here are the other stories I’ve written on this subject.
One Officer Involved in 2 Shooting Deaths in 4 Days
Unarmed Tourist Shot Dead By Police; Family Wants Answers
Cop Behind 2 Shootings Once Accused of Domestic Violence
New Details Murk the Waters of 2nd Cop Shooting
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Related posts:
- More details on the Miami Beach police shooting incident
- Miami Beach police officer involved in two shooting deaths in four days
- The latest on the pair of Miami Beach police shootings
- Miami Beach police accused of wrongly arresting gay men (and photographers)
- Every Memorial Day Weekend, the cops go crazy on Miami Beach
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Fernandez, as I mentioned in a 
Carlos…I’m losing track here. In the ferry shooting, you say that the victim was unarmed, but you also say very clearly that “police are unable to confirm whether or not the second shooting victim had a gun.” Which is it? Isn’t it still possible that the gun that police found in the water could be the victim’s? Or has there already been a ruling on that?
As far as the audio from the cell phones of the brothers in the other shootings, didn’t we already know that the victim was unarmed? If indeed it was a cop saying “We didn’t find anything,” is that really surprising? Does it warrant that headline? If anything, it goes toward an honest appraisal of the situation by the alleged police officer, I would think. We also know from additional video that the victim was, in fact, concealing an object under his shirt, a fact that you devote a whole 2 sentences to in your NBC story.
An internal investigation of the incident continues. In the meantime, the public deserves an honest assessment of the situation. I can’t say, Carlos, that you’re doing that.
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“We didn’t find anything” probably means guns. The attorney acknowledged one of them was carrying a coat hanger, right? And there’s a 911 call talking about them hiding a weapon. So the cop was just saying they didn’t find a weapon, maybe it wasn’t the guys they were looking for.
Rick,
Honest assessment?
Sure. Let’s just wait until police tell us what happened. If we did that, then we would now believe that the first guy had a bottle under his shirt and the second guy was killed after shooting it out with police.
Neither which is true.
When I say the second guy was unarmed when they killed him, I meant exactly that. That he was unarmed when they riddled his body with nine bullets.
And when I say police are unable to confirm whether he had a gun or not, I mean whether he had one at some point in the evening.
I went to last press conference. I asked them several times just to be sure. That is their answer. Or their latest answer.
They found a gun in the water several days later which may or may not be his.
And as far as “we didn’t find anything” goes. We know he was unarmed, but police have been trying to tell us that he had a bottle under his shirt.
The guy with the coat hanger under his shirt was not the guy who was shot.
Are you still confused?
“Sure. Let’s just wait until police tell us what happened. If we did that, then we would now believe that the first guy had a bottle under his shirt and the second guy was killed after shooting it out with police.”
Yes, Carlos, what we need is more guys who hate cops speculating and telling one side of police involved shooting. That’s always a great solution to getting to the bottom of things.
You “tell the truth,” whether it’s about some drum festival on the beach or a police involved shooting, like a defense attorney defends his client, Carlos. You take one side of the story and run with it, gathering as much evidence that you can to support your personal views on the matter.
That’s fine for blogging because people understand and expect that bias, but there’s no room for it in mainstream reporting.
Yes, thank for clearing up your post. I understand better what you were saying.
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Yes, mainstream reporting is strictly limited to parroting police press releases. Learn your place Carlos!
We don’t need you new fangled bloggers messin’ up things for the REAL reporters!
Scott…it’s called “investigative journalism” and it takes a fair and balanced perspective that weighs all sides and deliberates on the facts…all of them. Most of the media does it quite well much of the time.
And when they can’t, they move their words to the editorial page.
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Rick,
Are you unable to discuss the issue at hand without resorting to blanket statements accusing me of hating cops?
That’s no different than when the prosecutor and judge accused me of hating cops because they had no actual evidence that proved I was standing in the middle of the street taking pictures of cops.
Or it’s no different than when people accuse you of hating Cubans because you have issues with Babalu’s politics.
It’s funny how law enforcement types like you react when somebody tells the other side of the story.
Can you blame me for questioning police when they have had trouble getting their story straight?
First he had a gun. Then he didn’t have a gun.
First he shot at police. Then he didn’t shoot at police.
First he had a bottle. Then he didn’t have a bottle.
Even The Miami Herald is calling them on the “troubling incoherence in the way police are explaining the McCoy shooting.”
And The New York Times is saying that Shehada had his hands in the air when he was shot – which can be seen in the video – even though police swore he was reaching for something under his shirt.
If you see another side to this issue, then bring it on. But stick to the facts.
Alex disagreed with what I said in my Miami Beach 411 article and he didn’t hesitate to point that out. But he was able to stick to the facts rather than make personal blanket statements as you do.
If you’re unable to do that, Rick, then stick with the Babalu bashing because I demand a little bit more substance from the people I debate.
And in case you haven’t realized it, NBCMiami encourages us to include our opinions in the stories. It’s what we get paid to do.
We are not trying to be the Miami Herald or the New York Times (both who are losing readership).
So if you have an issue with it, take it up with the big bosses in NYC.
But odds are, they’ve already heard it and don’t care. They have put a lot of research into these Locals Only sites.
And besides, you don’t even fall into our demographics.
And with that, Carlos, you’ve proven yourself.
This is where I jump off.
Cya.
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