A man who was killed in a deadly shootout with police in Orlando after he shot two officers was considered a possible suspect in an open murder case in Miami, officials confirmed.
Orlando's Police Chief said officers were investigating a car tied to a homicide in Miami when 28-year-old Daton Viel shot two officers.
Miami-Dade Police said they reviewed surveillance video from a July 10 homicide that showed someone getting into a red Ford Fusion bearing paper tag DKL7241— after they shot someone sitting on the front porch of a home along Northwest 83rd Street and Northwest 22nd Avenue.
The victim — identified as 28-year-old Michael Williams Jr. — later died at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, added Miami-Dade Police.
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Investigators have since confirmed that the red Ford Fusion spotted on July 10 was the same car Viel was found next to in Orlando Friday night. Miami-Dade Police later confirmed Viel was a possible suspect in the Miami murder.
Police said Viel shot two officers after stealing a car and leading them on a chase.
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Officers caught up with Viel hiding in a Holiday Inn hotel room where he fired at officers — forcing them to shoot back, killing him.
While those officers shot remain in the hospital, focus is shifting on the suspect who was shot and killed, as well as his lengthy criminal history.
"The individual in this case, Daton Viel, is known to our office," Orlando State Attorney Monique H. Worrell said in a news conference Monday. "He was serving a probation sentence for trespass from a few years ago, however, he has a criminal history that goes beyond the state of Florida and Orange County."
Viel had several warrants for his arrest for violating probation on a number of charges in Florida and Georgia, including sexual battery, trespass and arson.
"But it is important to understand that the only individual who can be blamed for incidents like these is the individual who took those actions," Horrell said. "The perpetrator of these horrific events, that is who is to blame."
It's unclear whether the car was registered to Viel or if it was stolen at the time of the homicide.
“It’s a very sad day for our community to learn that two Orlando Police Department officers were shot last night,” Miami-Dade Police Interim Director Stephanie Daniels said. “It’s a constant reminder of the dangers law enforcement face every day while protecting their communities. We will continue to pray for the officers and their families.”
