Miami, Florida – In a tragic incident at a Miami-area bar, an altercation on the patio escalated into a deadly exchange of gunfire between police and an armed patron in the early hours of Saturday morning. Authorities revealed that the local police department had conducted a mass shooter drill at the same location just a year prior to the incident.
The violent encounter unfolded outside the Martini Bar, where a dispute at around 3:30 a.m. caught the attention of a security guard. One of the individuals involved in the altercation proceeded to fatally shoot the guard, setting off a chaotic exchange of bullets between the shooter and two Doral police officers at the bar.
Tragically, the patron responsible for the guard’s death was also killed during the gun battle, while one of the officers sustained a gunshot wound. Additionally, six civilians at the scene were injured, with two reported to be in critical condition.
Detective Alvaro Zabaleta commented on the situation, stating, “Whose gunfire caused the injuries to the civilians? It is too early to determine, and it may take some time before we have answers.” Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez mentioned that exactly one year ago, a mass casualty active shooter drill involving multiple agencies had taken place at the same bar. Lopez expressed uncertainty regarding the cause of the initial altercation that led to the tragic outcome.
Authorities have not released further details regarding the incident at this time, leaving many questions surrounding the events of that fateful morning unanswered.