Miami teen graffiti artist dies after being shot with police Taser MIAMI (Reuters) - Miami Beach police are investigating the death of a 17-year-old graffiti artist who died after being shot with a Taser during a pre-dawn chase with officers who say they caught him spray-painting a building. Israel Hernandez-Llach was an award-winning artist known as 'Reefa,' who won acclaim for his graffiti work as well as sculpting and painting, according to The Miami Herald. Miami Beach Police Chief Raymond Martinez said Hernandez-Llach was seen "vandalizing private property" shortly before dawn on Tuesday on Miami Beach and fled the scene. He was chased by police and ignored commands to stop running, at which point an officer used his Taser electroshock gun, Martinez said in a statement. Once in custody, the Colombian-born artist "displayed signs of medical duress" and was pronounced dead soon after. At this time, the cause of death has not been determined by the Medical Examiner's Office. Autopsy and toxicology results are still pending as well," Martinez said, while offering condolences to the artists's family. Reporting by Zachary Fagenson; Writing by David Adams; Editing by Kevin Gray and Andrew Hay