A Broward sheriff’s deputy was struck in the vest and a suspect was wounded after a daytime confrontation on a quiet residential block.
MARGATE, FL — A Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy and a robbery suspect exchanged gunfire Thursday afternoon on the 6100 block of Northwest Second Street, a residential street in Margate, after a felony investigation moved into the neighborhood. The deputy was hit in his ballistic vest and is expected to recover; the suspect was also shot and taken to a hospital, authorities said.
The shooting unfolded around 2:30 p.m. Thursday as members of the agency’s Burglary Apprehension Team followed a man tied to an earlier theft reported by Seminole Police at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The case drew a large response, including aviation support and armored vehicles, and jolted a typically quiet community. Officials said multiple deputies were present when gunfire erupted during an attempted stop at a home driveway. State investigators have opened a standard review into the use of force, and internal affairs will conduct a separate administrative inquiry.
Neighbors’ surveillance cameras recorded a rapid succession of shots and shouted commands as unmarked units boxed in a dark sedan in a driveway. Video from news helicopters later showed the car’s rear window pocked by bullet holes and an armored vehicle positioned nose-to-nose in the drive. Miranda Grossman, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said the deputy’s vest stopped the round. “This incident shows the dangers our deputies face every single day,” Grossman said. Paramedics took the deputy to Broward Health North in Pompano Beach for evaluation and transported the suspect from the scene. Detectives placed evidence markers along the curb as the street filled with neighbors looking on behind yellow tape.
Authorities said the suspect is an adult male in his 20s. His name and current condition were not released late Thursday. The deputy who was struck has roughly 10 years of experience and is assigned to the North Lauderdale district, officials said. The sheriff’s office said the confrontation began after the suspect allegedly grabbed cash from a patron’s hand at the casino Thursday morning and fled. Investigators traced the vehicle into North Lauderdale and then into Margate, where deputies converged. Officials did not immediately specify how many shots were fired or the exact number of deputies who discharged their weapons. No other injuries were reported. The sheriff’s office did not say whether any weapons were recovered at the scene, and it remained unclear how many residents’ homes or cars were struck by stray rounds, if any.
The neighborhood, a cluster of single-story homes east of State Road 7, saw a heavy influx of law enforcement within minutes. Chopper footage showed crime scene vans and detectives canvassing in the fading afternoon light. Residents described hearing a staccato burst of gunfire, then silence, then more shots. One neighbor said the sound “was really scary and those bullets are way bigger than you expect them to be,” capturing the shock felt on a block where weekday afternoons are usually marked by yard work and delivery trucks. Margate officers assisted with traffic and perimeter control while sheriff’s investigators processed the driveway and street for shell casings and bullet impacts. The sheriff’s office said armored equipment was used for protection as deputies approached the sedan and secured the area.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement opened an independent investigation Thursday evening, a routine step in deputy-involved shootings statewide. As part of that process, investigators will gather surveillance video, body-worn camera footage, audio recordings, ballistics, and witness statements, and will map the scene to determine firing positions and distances. The sheriff’s office said its Internal Affairs Unit will run a parallel administrative review to assess whether policy was followed. Deputies directly involved are typically placed on restricted duty or leave during the inquiry. Officials did not announce any arrests or charges Thursday night; charging decisions would likely follow once the suspect is medically cleared and interviews are completed. No public briefing time was set for Friday, but investigators were expected to return to the street to complete daylight measurements and canvassing.
Thursday’s gunfire capped a day that began with a grab-and-dash theft and ended with a driveway confrontation recorded from multiple angles. The videos — one from a neighbor’s camera, others from aerial footage — show how quickly a tactical stop can escalate on a residential block. “An encounter occurred between deputies, and at some point during that encounter the deputy-involved shooting occurred,” Grossman said. On the block, residents stood in clusters by dusk, trading what they heard and saw while officers collected markers and photographed the bullet-riddled glass. A man who lives two doors down said he ducked with his family when the first volley cracked through the air. “We hit the floor and waited for it to stop,” he said. “You don’t expect that on this street.”
By late evening, investigators had cleared most of the vehicles but left a portion of Northwest Second Street closed for overnight security. The deputy remained in stable condition with bruising from the vest strike, according to officials. The suspect’s identity and medical status were still unknown. FDLE’s review is underway, and the sheriff’s office said more information, including names and body-camera time stamps, could be released after initial interviews are completed. The next update is expected once investigators finish processing evidence collected from the driveway and nearby cameras on Friday.
Author note: Last updated December 12, 2025.