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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The FIU police chief addressed an incident involving an FIU officer that resulted in the officer firing his weapon during a training exercise.

CBS4 News was the first to report the incident.

Watch Maggie Newland’s report, click here.

“On October 28, one of our FIU police officers while at a training exercise at the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Training Bureau, discharged his firearm in the air, not in part of a training exercise,” said Chief Alexander Casas.

A source told CBS4 News, the officer’s name is Joe Mesa.

While on the firing line, someone allegedly made a comment that upset Mesa.

The source said Officer Mesa turned around and angrily fired at least five shots into the air in front of other FIU officers.

“Nobody one from Miami-Dade Police Department was involved in this in any shape or form in this incident,” said Casas. “This just seems to be an isolated action by an isolated individual.”

FIUPD’s Internal Affairs is investigating the alleged incident.

“The officer has been relieved of duty and we are going to conduct our investigation,” said Chief Casas. “For all intent and purposes, he is not a police officer while he is relieved of duty. He will not take any action as a police officer.”

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Officer Mesa has been with FIU since March of 2012, but he also worked at the school as a police officer briefly in the year 2000 and from 1993-1998.

CBS4 News tried contacting officer Mesa Friday, but he was not able to be located because police officers’ address and phone number is kept private.

“The investigative process is one that we will take statements from everyone that was there, collect whatever evidence we can and review the investigation with the State Attorney’s Office as well as the FDLE Standards Commission,” Chief Casas added. “Whatever the investigation reveals to be, we will do whatever is possible within the process as it is allowed, through collective bargaining, state statute, procedures that need to take place, we will do everything we can in this case.”

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