Miami-Dade the Seventh Deadliest County for Police-Involved Killings This Year

Only two years after the Justice Department found one major local police force, the Miami Police Department, liable for engaging "in a pattern or practice of excessive use of force through officer-involved shootings," cops throughout the county still regularly have fatal encounters with suspects. 

According to a database maintained by the Guardian, 14 people have died in Miami-Dade this year after confrontations with police officers. By total numbers, that's the seventh most deaths of any county in the United States in 2015. Among deaths per 100,000 citizens, Miami-Dade ranks fifth. 

All of the victims were men, and nine of 14 were black. That's a rate of 62 percent in a county where the black population is only 18.9 percent. Four were Hispanic, and one was white. 

The Miami-Dade Police Department was the deadliest force by total numbers. Half of the deaths involved that department. Miami PD was responsible for three of the deaths. The Miami Beach, Opa-locka, Homestead, and Miami Gardens forces were involved in one deadly incident each. 

At least two of the men killed by officers were said to suffer from schizophrenia. 

Here's a breakdown of the victims from the Guardian's database. 

Cornelius Brown, 25
Black Male
November 18th
Opa-locka Police Department
Brown allegedly attacked an officer with a broomstick before he was fatally shot. According to CBS Miami, Brown's family says he was schizophrenic and often carried around the broomstick as a toy. 

Yohans Leon, 28
Black Male
November 17th
Miami-Dade Police Department 
Leon robbed a Wendy's. Police shot him in an ensuing confrontation. 

Jorge Tapia, 15
Hispanic Male 
October 15th
Miami-Dade Police Department 
Tapia robbed a Walgreens and then lead police on a car chase. Police claim he shot at them from the car. A gun was found inside. 

Junior Prosper, 31
Black Male 
September 28th
Miami-Dade Police Department 
Prosper crashed his cab on I-95, and then took off running when police arrived. He was Tasered during a confrontation during which he bit an officer's finger. 

Ernesto Lopez, 42
Black Male 
September 24th
Miami-Dade Polie Department 
Lopez stabbed his wife and teenage son in a domestic rampage. When police arrived he threatened them as well and an officer shot him. 

Jorge Suarez-Ruiz, 51 
Hispanic Male 
September 15th 
Miami-Dade Police Department 
Suarez-Ruiz was allegedly carrying around a gun and threatening to harm himself so his family called police for help. When they showed up they got in a confrontation with the man and shot him. 

Carlos Yero, 60
Hispanic Male 
September 6th
Miami Police Department 
Police responded to a report of domestic violence, and when they showed up Yero allegedly pointed a gun at them. 

Marvin Arroliga, 22
Hispanic Male 
August 25th
Miami-Dade Police Department 
Police were investigating a separate shooting when Arroliga opened fire on them with a high-powered rifle. Police shot back. 

Edward Foster, 35
Black Male
July 16th
Homestead Police Department 
Police received a call about a man carrying a gun near a construction site. Foster brandished the fire arm at officers and was fatally shot. 

Maximo Rabasa, 52 
Black Male 
July 4th
Miami Police Department
Rabase was roaming the streets in just boxer shorts when he attacked an officer with a knife. The officer locked himself in his car and called for backup. When more officers arrived, Rabase refused to drop his knife and tried to attack other officers. He was Tasered and later died of cardiac arrest. 

Julian Joseph, 40
White Male 
July 2nd
Miami Beach Police Department 
Joseph robbed a Regions bank and then barricaded himself in his apartment. A SWAT team bombarded the apartment with tear gas, and after searching inside found Joseph in a closet. He pointed a gun at officers and was shot. 

Fritz Severe, 46
Black Male 
June 11th
Miami Police Department 
A homeless man, Severe got into a confrontation with police because he would not drop a metal stick. Police ended up fatally shooting him in front of dozens of children who were attending a nearby summer camp. Neighbors said Severe was often around the park and usually carried his metal stick. The incident is still under investigation. 

Tevin Barkley, 25
Black Male 
April 15th
Miami-Dade Police Department 
After reports of shots fired, officers found Barkley on a bicycle carrying an assault rifle. 

Lavall Hall, 25
Black Male 
February 15th
Miami Gardens Police Department 
Hall suffered from schizophrenia, and his family called for help while he was having an episode. Police shot him after he allegedly attacked them with a broom stick. 

By total numbers of people killed by police, only Los Angeles County, California; San Bernardino County, California; Maricopa County, Arizona; and Harris County, Texas, ranked higher.