Cape Chaos

Reports of a violent altercation between competing groups of vigilantes in the warehouses of North Miami Beach.   Police confirmed that at least one individual is dead, and more were wounded as a number of Defenders of Humanity came into contact with metahumans in a group of warehouses just west of Biscayne Boulevard, opposite of the FIU campus.  Police responded to reports of a giant reptilian monster being sighted, along with rapid gunfire and the discharge of energy weapons.  Witnesses reported a second metahuman flying in the air above the incident, possessing large flickering wings and some kind of iridescent or reflective skin.  reports of a third airborne metahuman could not be confirmed.   Adam Lamonte, one of the Defenders injured during the exchange, insisted that they were acting on intelligence that the escaped lab-animals from Apex's facility in the Trident, as well as possible members of the Heralds of Apocalypse had been holed up in one of the warehouses, and that they were going to investigate.  "Then this huge damn monster just steps right in front of us and screams like it's gonna charge us inat battle.  That's when Warren pushes on the gas and charges right back, tryin' ta get him ta move."   The man being referred to is Warren Carter, 35, a combat veteran medically discharged following an IED attack on his unit which left him the sole survivor and in need of major medical reconstruction.  Currently, he is the only reported casualty of this incident;  DNA testing will be needed to confirm.  Lamonte, and other witnesses, report that Carter was killed by the giant creature, who attacked him even after he was incapacitated.   "That just shows what kind of monsters these people - these THINGS - are;  how are you gonna crush a man who's already out of the fight?  Even animals will leave you alone when you play dead.  That THING was worse!"  Robert Statesmen, 27, said of the group of metahumans that accosted the Defenders.  Statesman was one of the wounded Defenders who amdits to firing his gun at the flying metahuman.  "That thing flew right at us and tried to burn us with it's wings.  Look what it did to our trucks!"  he said, noting burn marks on two of the four vehicles in their convoy.  He then added, "then it shot some white gust and nearly froze my arms off!"   Police officers on the scene painted a more neutral picture.  Officer Emily Garcia offered her preliminary view, "most of the fighting seems to be focused where the giant individual was centered"  she notes the secondary signs of it's movements and struggle, as well as the tire marks of the various vehicles.  "As of right now, we can't tell who was the aggressor or if any of the CAPE Act was violated.  We DO believe this was the work of vigilantes, as oppose to the metahumans being part of the Heralds, but we still need to confirm the suspected identities before we make that official determination."   Regardless of the incident in front of the warehouse, Officer Grimes was able to confirm that a group of individuals had been using the warehouse as a safe haven;  the property's owner has not yet responded with any comments.  evidence pointed to a brief but violent firefight within the warehouse, but no casualties or wounded individuals were reported in that area.   This is Rebecca Salones, signing off.