Juvenile Charged in Early Morning South Beach Shootout

MIAMI BEACH — City police arrested a 17-year-0ld Miami youth on Tuesday evening in connection with an early morning shooting at one of the busiest intersections in South Beach.

The name of the juvenile from the 1200 block of NW 1st Place is being withheld by Patch because of his age.

Police said that he and two friends opened fire on a group of people walking across the South Beach intersection in an area that is usually packed with tourists visiting South Beach.

Police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez told Patch on Tuesday that no one was injured in the shooting, which occurred at 5th Street and Ocean Avenue around midnight.

"The individuals whom the defendant and his friends were shooting at returned fire at the defendant's group," the arrest complaint stated. "The defendant and his friends fled on foot northbound into the 500 block of Ocean Court."

Rodriguez also said that police detained two other persons of interest for a time on Tuesday but released them.

He said that police recovered two firearms that will undergo forensic testing to determine whether they were used in the shooting.

Police said the juvenile suspect denied any involvement in the incident.