Miami-Dade's Top Cop: Officers Came 'Inches Away' From Death

HIALEAH, FL — The Miami-Dade police officer shot Tuesday night has been identified as Detective Paul Fluty. His alleged assailant has been identified as 53-year-old Leonardo Cano. Director Juan Perez of the Miami-Dade Police Department said Wednesday that Fluty and his other officers "came inches away" from losing their lives in the confrontation that ended with a fellow police officer shooting Cano, who was armed with an assault rifle and handgun.

"The officers came under gunfire by a subject fueled by domestic violence," Perez said in describing the ordeal that resulted in Fluty being airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. "Our officer was struck and sustained a serious wound."

The 32-year-0ld Fluty was shot and Cano was killed a short time later in what police described as an officer-involved shooting. Miami-Dade police said Cano opened fire with the assault rifle on Fluty and made multiple attempts to elude police.

Fluty was recovering at home Wednesday after being released from Jackson Memorial Hospital earlier in the day.

Miami-Dade police said the incident took place shortly before 11 p.m. near W 2nd Court and W 65th Street as undercover officers attempted to take Cano into custody for an alleged domestic abduction.

"Upon doing an area canvass, they came into contact with the subject who was in his vehicle," Deputy Director Alfredo Ramirez III of the Miami-Dade Police Department said earlier Wednesday. "As they attempted to conduct the traffic stop, the subject fled. A small chase ensued in which the subject crashed his vehicle."

It was at that point that Cano allegedly opened fire on the officers with the assault rifle.

"Our officers returned fire, and subsequently one of the officers was hit by the gunfire of the subject," Ramirez said referring to Fluty. "Thank goodness that our officer is okay and nobody else was hurt."

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The deputy director said that Cano then fled again, this time on foot.

"Our K-9 unit and our tactical units responded and had an encounter with the subject while searching for him," Ramirez said. "As they approached, a struggle ensued in which shots were fired and the subject's deceased."

As in the case of all officer-involved shootings in Miami-Dade County, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident.

Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez said his officers came within "inches" of being killed. Photo by Paul Scicchitano.