Suspect Wanted for Questioning in Police Shooting Faces Unrelated Charges

MIAMI – The man that Miami-Dade police had been seeking in connection with last month's police-involved shooting is facing unrelated charges after surrendering to authorities in Doral, according to police.

Twenty-five-year-old Devin Lamar Smith was wanted for questioning "regarding his actions" related to the police-involved shooting that occurred in the 10100 block of West Indigo Street.

Smith of the 11000 block of SW 217 Terrace,was charged with unrelated offenses, including escape, criminal mischief and tampering with an electronic monitoring device.

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According to an arrest record reviewed by Patch, Smith was on house arrest on Nov. 15, 2016 when his probation officer received a tampering alert. Two Miami-Dade correction officers found the device in Smith's home and his mother told officials that her son had cut the device and left.

The shooting ended with the death of 21-year-old Jamar Rollins, who was driving a Nissan Altima that was stopped by police on Friday.

After meeting with members of the community over the police-involved shooting, police asked for help in finding Smith.

Hundreds of local residents filed into the Sweet Home Missionary Baptist church in Cutler Bay to demand answers and express anger over the shooting death of Rollins, who some members of the community insist had his hands up when he was shot multiple times by an eight-year veteran of the police force.

Smith is also known as "Rug Head."

Miami-Dade police identified the officers involved in the shooting as Andrew Garcia and Jesus Coto. Both are assigned to the general investigation unit (special enforcement team) of the South Unit. Police did not say which of the officers fired the shots that struck Rollins.

A July 2014 article that appeared in Miami New Times reported that Miami-Dade officer Jesus Coto was struck in the head with a mango after he used his Taser on a suspect at a South Miami house party that had gotten out of hand. Police did not respond to a request from Patch to confirm whether the officer is the same officer involved in the shooting or if he merely has the same name.

Neither Coto or Garcia were wearing body cameras at the time of the shooting.

The passenger in the Nissan that Rollins had been driving fled the scene. Police did not say what if any relationship there is between Smith and Rollins.

Photo by Miami-Dade Police Department.