2 dead, 1 injured in Wynwood police shooting near NW 1st Court and 23rd Street

Two people are dead and a third is injured after an officer-involved shooting during a chaotic street disturbance in Wynwood early Saturday, according to Miami police.

The incident happened around 3 a.m. near Northwest 1st Court and Northwest 23rd Street, a busy nightlife stretch that includes 1-800-Lucky, Electric Lady, Mayami and other bars and restaurants. Miami Police Department spokesperson Officer Michael Vega said in an emailed statement and on-scene briefings, cited by NBC 6 South Florida, CBS News Miami and Local 10, that officers responded to a disturbance in the street and encountered a man who was armed with a gun.

“Officers observed the male who was armed. Subsequently, shots were fired,” Vega told reporters in a recorded briefing carried by local TV stations. Police said more than one officer discharged a weapon. The armed man and a woman nearby were both struck by gunfire and taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where they were pronounced dead, according to Vega’s statement referenced in multiple broadcast reports.

A third man suffered a hand injury and was also taken to a local hospital. Police have said he is expected to recover but have not clarified whether he was struck by police gunfire or injured in another way. No officers were hurt. As of the latest public updates, Miami police have not released the names of the deceased man or the injured man; family members identified the woman to CBS News Miami as 28-year-old Evelyn Valdes, who relatives say was celebrating her birthday in Wynwood and was an innocent bystander.

The shooting drew a large response from officers and crime scene investigators, shutting down traffic around Northwest 23rd Street and 1st Court as bars emptied out and crowds spilled into the street. Witnesses who spoke with Local 10 described an argument between men in the roadway, followed by several shots and people running for cover between parked cars and food trucks before police opened fire.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the use of force, as required under state protocols for officer-involved shootings. Miami police said in their public statements that all involved officers have been placed on standard administrative duties pending the outcome of the FDLE review. Detectives are asking anyone who was in the area and has information or cell phone video of the incident to contact the Miami Police Department or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.