News

Actions

Temple University student killed by Florida police after car crashes

Posted at 9:38 AM, Oct 10, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-10 09:38:10-04

Witnesses say the minute before a 22-year-old Temple University student was fatally shot after driving her BMW into a police officer "played out like a movie set" on Miami Beach.

Police say Cariann Hithon of Bowie, Maryland, crashed into several cars Sunday as people watched from sidewalk cafes.

"It played out like a movie set with people running, screaming, car crashes, gunshots, an injured officer lying on his back on the ground -- all within a minute," retired Miami-Dade homicide detective John Butchko, whose car Hithon hit, told the Miami Herald .

Butchko's passenger, Miami Beach lawyer Sean Ellsworth, added: "She just floored it."

Miami-Dade police are investigating. Hithon was black. Both officers are white.

Hithon's father, retired U.S. Navy Capt. Cary Hithon says he has "a lot of questions" about what happened.