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July 23, 2012 — Miami

Miami-Dade Police Department detectives went to the home of Henry Patterson, 55, to investigate an aggravated stalking case.

Miami-Dade PD

According to a police report, Detectives Amado Garcia and Barbara Nelson knocked on his door but there was no answer. They spoke with neighbors who said Patterson, a former Miami-Dade police investigator, would shoot guns at houses and throw ice and eggs.

Shortly after detectives left, a neighbor called 911 because Patterson was outside of his house, staring at her. Read more

The detectives returned about 8:30 p.m. and called for backup. They parked a short distance away and approached the house. They saw Patterson standing on the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets.

Garcia ordered Patterson to show his hands and get down, but Patterson backed away.

Garcia pulled out his gun, and as he got closer, Patterson pulled a hand out of his pocket, and Garcia saw the top of a gun.

Garcia tried to wrest the gun away from Patterson, but Patterson jerked away and pointed the gun at Garcia. Garcia fired his own pistol, shooting Patterson in the chest, shoulder and throat.

Patterson died at the scene.

Inside the house, police found a safe containing several firearms.

This was the 83rd police shooting in Florida in 2012.

One day earlier, two officers shot one person in Tampa .

Two days later, one officer shot one person in Clearwater .

6 ways this case compares to others

  1. Patterson did not immediately comply with police instruction, a factor in nearly a quarter of shootings.
  2. Patterson was armed with a firearm. That’s true of almost half the people shot.
  3. Patterson was involved in a domestic disturbance, a factor in 115 cases.
  4. Patterson was shot after resisting arrest. A total of 114 people were shot while resisting arrest.
  5. Patterson showed signs of mental instability. Almost a third of all shootings involved someone who appeared mentally unstable.
  6. Patterson pointed a weapon at officers. Twenty-eight percent of shootings involved people who police say pointed a weapon at them.

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