New video shows moments before North Miami Beach shoots man with machete

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A new video from Local 10 News shows the moments leading up to the fatal police shooting of a man who authorities say swung a machete and later took a hostage at a North Miami Beach office building.

The shooting happened just before 2 p.m. Thursday at an office building at 16855 NE 2nd Ave., less than a mile east of the Golden Glades intersection.

Family members identified the suspect as 38-year-old Edridge Alexis.

According to police, officers responded after receiving a 9-1-1 call about a man with a large knife on the street near Alexis’ home.

Police said they tried to taser the suspect, but that seemed to upset him even more, and he ran into a nearby building and put a machete to a woman’s neck.

Police said they shot Alexis to save the woman’s life.

Witnesses said the woman, who is believed to be fine, was a patient at a doctor’s office.

Video captured from inside the building shows a doctor and staff praying while officers held Alexis at gunpoint.

“Everyone went into the small room and we had patients in there and the doctor and therapist barricaded their bodies through the door,” said an employee.

Despite admitting that he had mental health issues, Alexis’ family still struggles to believe what happened.

“He had some mental health issues,” Wilkenson told Alexis.

“In order for him to go into the building and put the machete around someone’s neck, you’ve got to show me proof of that. He’s not like that,” added another of Alexis’ relatives.

A representative for the property manager told Local 10 News that she saw surveillance video of exactly what happened inside, and it happened as police said it did, despite testimony from Alexis’ family.

This video was handed over to investigators and is now used as evidence.

Records show Alexis has had numerous run-ins with the law in Miami-Dade and recently spent 13 months behind bars.