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Mariel Rivera Samuels

Gender : Female

Age : 37

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 06/25/2024

Location : NE 2nd Avenue and NE 25th St

City : Miami

County : Miami Dade

State : Florida

Agency : Miami Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during mental health crisis

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 06/25/2024, Miami Police responded to a call about a mental health crisis at an apartment near NE 2nd Avenue and NE 25th St in Miami, Florida. The roommate of Mariel Rivera Samuels, 37, contacted authorities after finding her holding a knife during what was described as a mental health episode.
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According to police, officers spoke with Samuels to de-escalate the situation. Police claimed that she picked up the knife again during the interaction, prompting officers to shoot and kill her, allegedly fearing for their lives. The department has not provided body-worn camera footage or additional evidence to confirm their account of events.
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The handling of this mental health crisis has raised questions about the use of lethal force and whether non-lethal alternatives or more effective de-escalation tactics were attempted. The Miami Police Department has announced an internal investigation but has not provided a timeline for its completion or stated whether the officers involved are on administrative leave.
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NUMBER OF CASUALTIES DURING THIS POLICE ENCOUNTER: 1 fatality.
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Last update: 12/03/2024

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/mariel-rivera-samuels-police-shooting-mental-health-2024-06-25/
https://www.local10.com/news/miami-police-department-mental-health-crisis-shooting/
https://www.wsvn.com/news/local/mariel-rivera-samuels-mental-health-police-incident/