The Nation : Violence Flares After Miami Police Chase

The entire Miami police force was mobilized to quell a disturbance in a predominantly black neighborhood in which gunfire broke out, cars were set ablaze and rocks and bottles were thrown after officers shot a motorcyclist, authorities said. There were no immediate reports of additional injuries, but police confirmed there was at least two gunshots heard from the crowd in the Overtown section of northwestern Miami. “It’s a major incident with rocks and bottles being shot at officers,” police Sgt. Michael Mazur said. The area was sealed off. Exits near Overtown from Interstate 95 were closed, and firefighters were forbidden to enter the area. The incident began about 6 p.m. after a man on a motorcycle was shot by police, Mazur said. The officer said he was unsure whether the man died from his wounds. The area was the scene of riots in 1980 and 1982.