New details were released after a man who barricaded himself in Miami on Thursday led to a nearly six-hour SWAT standoff, and officers were forced to fire their weapons.
The suspect was identified as 64-year-old Fred Kelch, who was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm and displaying a firearm while committing a felony.
Fred Kelch
According to Miami Police, it was about 8:30 p.m. Thursday when officers became involved in a standoff with someone who may have been armed at Camillus House on Northwest 3rd Court and 4th Street in downtown Miami.
An arrest report said that Kelch pointed a gun at a witness and their father.
At the scene, the report said, officers said they spoke with the witness’s father and then announced that they were outside.
A Miami Police officer, who was referred to as a victim in the report, was at the front door, equipped with a ballistic shield.
When the victim was interviewed, they said they were dispatched to the area and met with the witness, who said his father’s friend threatened them with a gun, the report said.
When the victim entered the apartment, he saw Kelch with what appeared to be a gun pointed at him, and the victim backed away.
During the investigation, the report said, other officers noticed that Kelch had a gun and ordered him to drop it. When he refused, there was an exchange of gunfire between him and officers.
Police said no one was injured during the shooting.
Following the shooting, Kelch went back into the apartment and barricaded himself, prompting an hours-long standoff.
At around 2:30 a.m. on Friday, he surrendered and was taken into custody.
Welch, the report said, told officers “I took a shot ay you guys, “I took a shot ay you guys,” when he was being taken away.
He is expected to appear in court on Saturday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation, which is standard whenever there is a police-involved shooting.