Major League Baseball

Gunman walks past Marlins catcher after shooting

Published May. 11, 2012 11:24 p.m. ET

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Miami Marlins catcher Brett Hayes found himself caught in a turnpike traffic jam after a gunman shot and wounded two South Florida law enforcement officers.

And the gunman walked past Hayes' car.

Hayes said he and his wife were en route to a birthday party during the Marlins' off day Thursday when a traffic snarl in Hollywood left them barely moving. Hayes then spotted a man with a handgun in the median walking toward them.

''The guy was walking by our car, and I made eye contact with him,'' Hayes said Friday. ''I looked away nonchalantly and told my wife, `Don't look at him,' because it looked like he was obviously up to no good. Later I found out he had already shot two police officers.''

An officer carrying a handgun and wearing a bulletproof vest soon passed Hayes' car in pursuit. A short time later, the gunman killed himself.

Hayes said he didn't hear any gunshots and wasn't sure what had happened until he heard the news about the shootings on the radio.

''The creepy thing about it was that the guy looked like he was walking down the street to go to the supermarket,'' Hayes said. ''He was very nonchalant.

You look back and you're like, `I can't believe that just happened.'''

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