Miami Police Department officer Sthephany Canizares, involved in a domestic dispute that led her to fire a gun, is no longer facing charges. Arrested back in August, Canizares had initially faced counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm outdoors in a residential area. However, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office has now dropped all charges. “The victim in this case did not wish to pursue charges and without this victim we could not prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt as is required by law,” said a statement from the State Attorney’s Office, as reported by NBC Miami.
An arrest report described that the incident occurred while Canizares was having “relationship issues” with her boyfriend. The altercation reportedly began after she discovered “inappropriate messages” in her boyfriend’s phone. After the incident, Canizares contacted authorities several hours later, volunteering that she had discharged her gun and wanted to turn herself in. Details from a Hoodline article report that the boyfriend secured their child and himself by retrieving his personal firearm and barricading themselves in a bedroom upon hearing the gunshot.
Canizares was subsequently relieved of duty with pay pending the outcome of an investigation. However, the details surrounding her arrest have generated mixed responses, particularly due to the nature of the initial charges. After the charges were dropped, her defense attorney, Gino Casanova, said in a statement, “The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office got it right after meticulously investigating this matter. From the beginning, there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case against Stephany. We feel vindicated and Stephany is ready to put this chapter of her life in the past.” This statement was also made public by NBC Miami…