Shooter who ‘randomly’ killed man in South Miami-Dade shot dead by SWAT, police say

Police sharpshooters shot and killed a man in a South Miami-Dade apartment complex early Friday morning, about six hours after they say he “randomly” shot and killed another man who had just returned home from work.

Police identified the gunman as 25-year-old Donovan Adrian Watson. They withheld the identity of the 38-year-old man who was killed earlier, citing victim privacy laws. Miami-Dade police also wouldn’t share how they concluded the victim was shot in a random act of violence.

According to police, just after 10 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 19815 SW 114th Ave., Watson walked up to a man who had just returned home from work and shot him before he could enter his apartment.

Miami-Dade police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said by the time police arrived, Watson had run back to his apartment.

“He barricades himself. He’s alone. The victim was taken to the hospital. He dies,” Zabaleta said.

Uniformed officers then began talking with the man inside the apartment. Zabaleta said the gunman was alone. When they failed to persuade him to come outside, officers called in members of the Special Response Unit, what used to be known as SWAT.

Those officers also attempted to coax Watson out of his apartment, but failed. So they sent a robot, equipped with cameras and the ability to open doors and climb steps, toward the apartment. It wasn’t clear if the robot was able to gain entry, but the suspect shot it several times and disabled it, police said.

Then, Zabaleta said, he began firing at SRT members.

By then the unit had set up several Bearcats — tank-like trucks with turrets — in strategic positions in the parking lot surrounding the apartment. The suspect fired and struck a Bearcat several times, Zabaleta said.

For a while the suspect played a type of cat-and-mouse game with police, stepping outside and firing, going back in, but firing several times at police, said the spokesman.

Eventually, when officers with rifles had a clear view of Watson, they fired, killing him, Zabaleta said. Miami-Dade police did not say Friday what type of weapon or weapons Watson used.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is also investigating the shooting, and a spokesperson said Friday the agency is not prepared to release details about the type of gun or guns Watson used.

“We are still conducting interviews,” Gretl Plessinger said.

On Friday morning, as officers and detectives continued to work next to a Miami-Dade police mobile command truck, residents were allowed under the yellow crime tape to get back to their homes in the area.

A few students heading to school walked with backpacks toward Miami Southridge High, a couple of blocks away on 114th Avenue.

Colin Junor, 72, has lived on the corner of Southwest 197th Street, right across the street from the shootings, since 1985. Other than worsening traffic, he said the neighborhood is usually quiet.

“The only thing you see around here are car accidents,” Junor said.

Although he lives only yards away from the shooting, he said he didn’t hear anything despite being a night owl ever since he’s been caring for his ailing wife.

“I was up until 3 this morning,” Junor said while standing in his driveway. “I saw a woman standing there, and she told me it was a shooting. I didn’t hear shots, no siren. Nothing.”