By Andrew N. White, IBT
A Florida man rammed his vehicle into a police station early Friday, an act which authorities believe was deliberate.
The driver, identified as 36-year-old Giftson Cherenfant, sped through the security gate and slammed his red Chevrolet Impala into the Miami Police Department’s North District Substation at around 7 a.m., the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. Security cameras captured the incident and officers are continuing to investigate.
[post_ads]"Based on video surveillance that we have, this breach was intentional," Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina said during a press conference after the crash. "If he would have stopped there, then perhaps there’s still a chance that’s accidental. But the fact that he continues, regains speed and then plows into the wall leads us to believe that it was intentional."
Officer Kiara Delva of the Miami Police Department said police found Cherenfant pinned inside his car, adding that the Miami Fire Rescue had to cut the car doors off to remove him, according to Miami Patch.
"I'm incredibly proud of the way that the officers of the North District handled it," Colina said. "We had a sergeant who was in a police vehicle who immediately followed him in, pinned him against the wall there so he wouldn't be able to back up if he wanted to. The officers inside immediately approached the vehicle weapons drawn."
Cherenfant was the only person who suffered injuries and was taken Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center where he remained in stable condition.
Police discovered a rifle and a safe among items inside the car, which prompted an evacuation of the building. The bomb squad was called to the scene while surrounding roads were closed off as a precaution. Colina said no explosives were found in the car.
"We took every caution to make sure there wasn’t any other danger and I’m happy to report there wasn't," the police chief said.
The man's motives remain unclear. Authorities began interviewing Cherenfant's family who claimed that he had been acting "a bit peculiar lately"
"We don't know the purpose of why he chose to breach the rear gate and the station," said Colina. "There is really nothing in his history that would indicate why he would behave this way."
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