Suspected South Beach Shooters of NYPD Detective Caught After Broward Hospital Visit

By Matthew Hendley Thu., Jul. 28 2011 at 2:53 PM

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Miami-Dade Corrections

Mustafa Lee (left) and Francisco Henriquez

Two men have been arrested in the weekend shooting in South Beach of an off-duty detective from the New York City Police Department after one of the men dropped by Broward General Hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound.

Mustafa Cornelius Lee, 28, and Francisco Henriquez, 35, have been charged with the attempted murder of NYPD Det. Harold Thomas in what police believe may have been a botched robbery.

Police had said shortly after the shooting that they couldn't interview Thomas because he was in a medically induced coma. He was on vacation with two cop friends, although police haven't said whether they were there during the shooting.

Miami Beach cops revealed to the Sun-Sentinel that Thomas shot back at the men, which is likely the reason why Lee dropped by Broward General Hospital a few days later with a gunshot wound.

According to Hollywood action movies, you're not supposed to go to the hospital when you're shot in the commission of a crime, but science says 90 percent of criminals do it anyway.

Police say the shooting happened around 7 a.m. Saturday in front of the 1233 Lofts in Miami Beach, and Thomas has undergone at least two surgeries to repair an artery in his leg.

Lee was booked into the Broward County Jail but has since been transferred to the Miami-Dade Jail, where he joins Henriquez to face one count each of attempted murder.

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