Florida Police Union Criticizes Prosecutors Over 2019 Shootout Charges

Union leader argues that charging officers for returning fire during a robbery sends a conflicting message about police use of force.

Four Miami-Dade officers face manslaughter charges in the deaths of a UPS driver and a passerby during a 2019 shootout with robbers.
The police union claims the charges could deter officers from engaging in future shootouts with suspects.
Prosecutors have not explained why only these four officers were charged among the 20 who fired at the scene.
The robbers, who also died in the incident, are blamed by the union for the deaths of the innocent bystanders.
This case marks a rare instance of Florida officers being charged for on-duty killings.