Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez allegedly made a disturbing threat to his wife before shooting himself in the head, according to bodycam footage released by the Tampa Police Department.
The incident occurred at the JW Marriott hotel, where Ramirez and his wife Jody were staying for a sheriff's conference.
The altercation between Ramirez and his wife reportedly began after Jody had been drinking, leading to a heated argument outside the hotel. A witness informed the police that Ramirez had threatened to "end it now" and had put a gun in his mouth. In response to this information, the police approached the couple's hotel room with caution, using a ballistic shield and drawing their guns.
The bodycam footage shows Jody exiting the room with her hands raised, followed by Ramirez, who initially complied with the officers' commands. However, he then placed his hands at his waist, ignoring the officers' instructions to stop. Confused, Ramirez questioned the police, stating that he was the Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department and claiming that he hadn't done anything wrong.
During the subsequent questioning, Ramirez denied pulling out a gun and insisted that he and Jody had been "talking." Jody, who had been taken to a separate location for questioning, expressed disbelief at the situation and initially denied any safety concerns. However, she later changed her statement, saying she couldn't remember if Ramirez had taken out the gun.
Jody, who has been married to Ramirez for 30 years, admitted that their argument had been intense and acknowledged that Ramirez had "plenty of demons from the job." She attributed her drinking to his influence, stating that he had introduced her to Old Fashioned cocktails.
Three hours after the altercation at the hotel, Jody called 911 from I-75, desperately seeking help as her husband shot himself in the head. She recounted that Ramirez had walked into the road, and although she tried to treat his head wound on the grassy part of the road, he refused her assistance.
Ramirez underwent surgery and was reported to be in critical condition. While he did not suffer any brain damage, there is a possibility that he may lose his right eye. The Miami-Dade Police Department confirmed the shooting and revealed that Ramirez had been with the department since 1995. He was appointed as the Director of the Miami-Dade agency in 2020 after serving for 24 years within the department.
Miami-Dade County differs from most Florida counties in that it does not have an elected sheriff. Instead, the county appoints a director. However, new legislation will reinstate the sheriff's position next year, marking the first time since 1966 that the county will have an elected sheriff.
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