Police investigating 2 found dead in Coral Gables

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (WSVN) -- The discovery of two people dead in an office building forced police to set up a perimeter in Coral Gables in a dramatic search for suspects.

Miami-Dade Police has confirmed they are questioning a person of interest in the deaths of a man and woman, who were found dead inside a building at 801 Monterey Street, off Eighth Street, just a few blocks east of Granada Boulevard, sometime around 12 noon, Friday.

Police responded to a 911 call at the building to find the two deceased people. "Upon the officers' arrival, they were able to observe a deceased male and a deceased female," said Miami-Dade Police Detective Javier Baez. "At this time, their identities have not been revealed to me. The cause of this incident is still unclear, at this time."

Though they have a man in custody, police are not calling him a suspect. Police established a dense perimeter around a portion of Coral Gables to conduct a precautionary search. "That's precautionary for the residents here in the area," explained Coral Gables Police Sgt. Janet Frevola, "as well as all the residents here in the shopping area behind us. We wanted to make sure that we absolutely, without a doubt, didn't have somebody out here that was armed or dangerous."

Police shut down Southwest Eighth Street to Venitia Avenue, between 47th and 49th Ave. as they began their investigation and search. A few blocks east of Granada Boulevard, several roads only began reopening to traffic by 6 p.m. The only section that currently remains closed is a portion of Eighth Street between the mall and the building.

CSI is focused on the building where the bodies were found and a Sedano's supermarket across the street where the person of interest ran to. Police removed the person of interest from the scene in a police van at around 4 p.m. and are questioning him. Witnesses said they observed this man covered in blood, running across the street to the mall called Granada Plaza, where the supermarket is located.

George Valdes said he saw that bloodied man outside the Sedano's. "So they were questioning him there. They had him in a crime unit van for like two hours ... he seemed shot, like a graze."

Sedano's released a statement saying nothing happened related to the incident inside its business.

Police departments assisting Coral Gables in the search included Miami Beach, Hialeah and Miami-Dade Police. They set up a command post and called in SWAT vans and police dogs. That large contingent of police has since thinned out to mostly Miami-Dade crime scene investigators.

Jerry Diaz, who works at a Metro PCS store recalled the drama when police arrived earlier that day. "A customer of mine, actually two customers, came in and they just told me, 'Lock the doors! Lock the doors!' and something was going on," he said. "I was actually wondering why people weren't coming."

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