Miami Beach police launch internal probe after woman finds mayor candidate’s bag with gun inside

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – An internal affairs investigation at the Miami Beach Police Department is underway after a woman found a bag belonging to Miami Beach mayoral candidate Michael Grieco with a loaded gun in it.

That young woman turned the bag into police after finding it at South Pointe Park in August.

Body camera video shows the moments an officer goes through the bag and pulls out a loaded handgun and proceeds to remove the magazine and clear the chamber.

He then pulls out a wallet and begins to go through it and place all the cash on his desk.

Grieco, who declined to speak to Local 10 News on camera, citing the ongoing investigation, released a statement on the matter Monday evening:

“My bag was stolen and within less than an hour found safely at the police department. In that hour period I reported it to the command staff assigned to the park where it was stolen and was en route to the police station to file an official report when I received a call that the bag and it’s (sic) contents were mostly accounted for.

What’s truly frustrating here is not that I was a victim of a crime, but that individuals would politicize this in a way that puts my family in harms way. It’s outrageous and wrong and warrants a swift investigation. There is a pending internal affairs investigation as to the release of my personal information pursuant to Marcy’s Law and Chapter 119 and to ensure the integrity of that investigation I’m refraining from further comment at this time.”

Michael Grieco, candidate for Miami Beach mayor

Grieco, an attorney and previous city commissioner, served as a Democrat in the Florida House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022.

Local 10 News is working to learn more details about investigation.