Temple Student Seen Mowing Down Miami Beach Cop

MIAMI BEACH, FL — Video posted on social media shows a Miami Beach police officer being catapulted into the air by a speeding BMW and a fellow officer firing three shots at the Temple University student who was behind the wheel. The injured officer was identified as David Cajuso, who lost consciousness for a time following the Sunday night incident. The 22-year-old Maryland transfer student was struck by at least one of the bullets and succumbed to her injuries.

See also Miami Beach Officer Catapulted By Speeding BMW, Driver Shot

Those who knew Cariann Denise Hithon, however, painted a very different image of the political science major than might be gleaned from the brief video of her final moments.

The incident occurred at 6:17 p.m. on a crowded holiday weekend in South Beach. Hithon and Cajuso were both taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center where Cajuso was released on Monday and Hithon died.

Watch: Witnesses Recall Chaotic South Beach Crime Scene

The woman's father, Cary Hithon, told Local 10 News that his daughter traveled to Miami Beach to celebrate her 22nd birthday.

"I had to calm my spirit and understand I don't know what happened so I can't be too quick to judge," the Maryland resident told the television crew. "Something may have happened to my daughter in the moment that caused her to act nothing like anything I can recall or understand."

Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department told Patch that Cajuso was recovering at home.

Miami Beach Police Chief Daniel J. Oates and other members of the department visited Cajuso in the hospital on Sunday night.

According to Temple University's student government, Hithon participated in a mentorship program for community children prior to transferring to the Philadelphia school. In addition, she held a leadership fellowship position for two years through the University of California.

"We are so proud and grateful to have had her as a Temple Owl," the student government said.

That sounds nothing like the woman who police said was apparently attempting to flee the scene of multiple accidents when she struck Cajuso in the 200 block of 12th Street. Her BMW had been parked in the 1400 block of Ocean Drive before police said it became a weapon in her hands.

Rodriquez said that investigators believe Hithon had already built up a high rate of speed as she passed cars in the oncoming lane and then slammed into two vehicles in the first two blocks she encountered at 12 Street and Ocean Drive. "The BMW then fled the scene of these accidents and traveled west on 12th Street, entering the intersection of Collins Avenue against the light and striking an occupied sedan," said Rodriguez.

He added that Hithon drove into a crowd that had gathered at 12 Street and Collins Avenue.

"A short time after the accident at Collins Avenue and 12th Street, as citizen witnesses and police officers began to gather in the intersection to inquire and render aid to the accident victims, the driver of the BMW drove forward into the crowd and striking Officer Cajuso," Rodriguez added. "The shooting then occurred."

A passenger in Hithon's BMW was detained for questioning to determine his involvement, if any, according to police.

He was identified by Miami-Dade police on Tuesday as 22-year-old Ryan Jerrell Lucas. Police did not say how he knew Hithon.

Hithon discusses civility in this 2013 video posted on YouTube:

Photo courtesy YouTube.