BROWARD COUNTY, FL. (THECOUNT) — UPS is reporting employee, Frank Ordonez, was killed Thursday after being struck by gunfire during a deadly carjacking shootout in Miramar. A family members says he’d been a driver with UPS for the past five years.
Ordonez was kidnapped in his delivery truck by two suspects who had just attempted to rob a jewelry store in Coral Gables. The suspects led police on a chase in the UPS truck through Miami-Dade and Broward County.
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When the truck was slowed by traffic, police opened fire. Among the four killed were the suspects, UPS driver and an innocent bystander, reports Local10.
“We are deeply saddened to learn a UPS service provider was a victim of this senseless act of violence.” the company said in a statement. “We extend our condolences to the family and friends of our employee and the other innocent victims involved in this incident. We appreciate law enforcement’s service and will cooperate with the authorities as they continue the investigation.”
Multiple fatalities have been reported following a high-speed police chase and a resulting officer-involved shooting that began with an armed robbery at a Coral Gables jewelry store.
There was a flurry of gunfire and high speed on the streets of Coral Gables moments after a robbery and shootout at Regent Jewelers, police said.
Shortly after that shooting, authorities began a pursuit of a UPS truck that had apparently been carjacked. The truck sped up Interstate 75 into Broward County.
After exiting I-75, the truck made its way through Pembroke Pines and Miramar with dozens of officers in pursuit.
When the truck became stuck in traffic near Miramar Parkway and Flamingo Road, police on foot with guns drawn closed in and shots were fired.
People spilled out of the truck during the shooting. Police confirm that the carjacking, chase, and fatal shootout were connected to the jewelry store robbery, reports Fox26Medford.
Officers arrived in numbers to the scene in the aftermath of the wild chase and shootout.
An ambulance was on the scene but it is yet unclear to the exact number of victims.
Geo quick facts: Coral Gables is a city near Miami, in Florida. It’s home to the 1920s Venetian Pool, carved from a rock quarry, with its grottoes, towers and bridge. Coral Gables Merrick House is the restored childhood home of city founder George Merrick. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden includes tree-lined lakes, a tropical rainforest and a butterfly display. The collections at Lowe Art Museum include Cuban and Caribbean works – wikipedia.