A Miami police officer fired multiple shots through the windshield of a moving vehicle while clinging to its hood during a chaotic confrontation that unfolded Sunday in front of Bayfront Park, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
Cellphone footage obtained by Local 10 News shows the officer, wearing a reflective vest, holding on to the hood of a black BMW while aiming his service weapon through the windshield.
At least three gunshots are heard in the video as the car begins to turn and then comes to a stop, allowing the officer to jump off.
NEW: Miami cop seen on car hood before sh**ting driver
The officer was directing traffic near Bayfront Park during the Best of the Best music festival
21-year-old Menelek Clarke reportedly hit the officer with the car before the situation escalated
Clarke was taken to… pic.twitter.com/0BChmfYmSh [2]
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) May 27, 2025 [3]
The driver, identified as 21-year-old Menelek Clarke, fled the vehicle wearing a blood-stained white shirt but stopped several feet away. He complied with officers’ commands, lying on his back before rolling over at the direction of another officer who placed him in handcuffs.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Northeast Third Street and Biscayne Boulevard, less than a mile from Kaseya Arena, as crowds gathered nearby for the Best of the Best Caribbean music festival.
The shooting caused panic among the estimated 10,000 to 12,000 attendees, with many fleeing the area.
According to Miami Police Assistant Chief Armando Aguilar, Clarke was shot several times and transported to Ryder Trauma Center. The officer involved sustained minor injuries and was later released from the hospital.
“We don’t know exactly what happened,” Aguilar told Local 10 News. “We do know there was physical contact between the officer and the vehicle.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating the shooting and will review body-worn camera footage and surrounding surveillance video.
Sherlyann Clarke, the driver’s sister, was in the vehicle at the time of the incident. She claimed the officer directed traffic and appeared to wave them forward before positioning himself in front of the BMW.
“The patrol officer, we were all stopped, we were in the middle lane,” she said. “He told everyone else to go with his hand… and then he stood in front of my brother’s car and shot him.”
She also disputed the claim that her brother attempted to strike the officer, stating, “It wasn’t intentional to hit him — no. The man moved with the car as he was going around him.” She added, “I feel like he was wrongfully shot multiple times in his vehicle with no weapon.”
The Miami Police Department has not released an official statement beyond confirming the investigation.