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The director of the Miami-Dade police force, Alfredo Ramirez, was found outside a Florida hotel with a gun, threatening to harm himself. Bodycam footage of the incident has been released, showing the moments leading up to the incident. Ramirez later shot himself in the head and was rushed to a Tampa hospital, where he underwent surgery. He is currently in stable condition and making progress. Ramirez is a 27-year veteran of the Miami-Dade police force and had announced his intention to seek election as sheriff next year. The Northern Virginia Daily reported
In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, law enforcement officers were called to a downtown hotel after receiving a report of a person threatening to harm themselves with a firearm. To their surprise, they discovered that the individual in question was none other than Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez, the director of the Miami-Dade police force. Recently released bodycam footage provides new insights into this incident, which occurred on July 23. It took place just hours before Ramirez, accompanied by his wife Jody Ramirez, tragically shot himself in the head while driving along Interstate 75 south of Tampa. Jody Ramirez immediately dialed 911, and the police chief was swiftly taken to a hospital in Tampa, where he underwent surgery. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava revealed that Ramirez is now in stable condition, although he remains in the Tampa area and is still recovering.
The initial call to the police came in at around 6:30 p.m. on that Sunday evening, during the Florida Sheriff’s annual conference being held at the hotel. A witness reported observing a man and a woman engaged in a heated argument outside the premises. Disturbingly, the witness claimed that the man, later identified as 52-year-old Ramirez, had pointed a gun at his own head. By the time the officers arrived, the couple had retreated to their room on the 12th floor, as informed by hotel security. Unfortunately, the witnesses who reported the argument were no longer present, and the police were unable to locate any hotel security footage capturing the incident.
Reacting swiftly, a group of officers hurried upstairs, shouting for Ramirez to surrender. The bodycam video captured one officer repeatedly instructing Ramirez to raise his hands before he complied. Subsequently, Ramirez was placed in handcuffs. Feeling confused and alarmed, he asked the officers about their actions, stating his position as the director of the Miami-Dade Police Department. When asked for identification, Ramirez explained that it was inside his wallet, which he had left in the room. The officers discovered his holstered gun beneath a chair.
Meanwhile, outside the room, officers engaged in separate conversations with Ramirez and his wife. Ramirez pleaded with the officers, insisting that he had done nothing wrong and expressing concerns about the potential repercussions of filing a report. He assured them that the argument was related to marital issues and that everything was now fine. Simultaneously, officers questioned Jody Ramirez, inquiring about any physical altercation and whether her husband had threatened her with the gun. She admitted to being unsure and mentioned that alcohol had been involved. Jody Ramirez also revealed that her husband always carried a firearm due to the emotional toll of his job and his temper. She reassured the officers that he did not pose a threat.
Following their interrogation, Alfredo Ramirez was released from his handcuffs, and the couple left the hotel to return home to Miami. However, at around 8:30 p.m., Ramirez contacted Mayor Levine Cava, offering his resignation and admitting to making a mistake. The mayor described him as “very remorseful” during their conversation and advised him to return home safely to discuss the matter further the following day. Tragically, it was after this conversation that Ramirez took his own life, as revealed by the police transcript.
With 27 years of service as a Miami-Dade police veteran, Ramirez holds the position of director within the largest law enforcement agency in the southeastern United States. In May, he announced his intention to run for the newly created role of sheriff in next year’s elections. However, it remains uncertain whether he will continue his campaign. In the interim, Mayor Levine Cava has appointed an interim police director to oversee the department..
