TAMPA, FLORIDA — Miami-Dade County Police Director Alfredo Ramirez III was hospitalized on Sunday night after shooting himself in the head on I-75, south of Tampa.
“Freddy” Ramirez was in Tampa attending a law enforcement convention with his wife when he was involved in a domestic dispute at a Tampa-area hotel. Following the altercation he was asked to leave by hotel staff, according to a statement by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
COMPLETELY SHOCKED
Michael Lewis, a sheriff from Maryland who was at the Tampa event said he heard that a “heated discussion” between Ramirez and his wife Jody outside the hotel drew police to the JW Marriott in downtown Tampa.
“We’re completely shocked," Lewis told reporters. "I’ve been in law enforcement 39 years and I’ve never heard of anything like this remotely occurring.”
Ramirez is running for Miami-Dade sheriff in 2024. The Miami Herald reported that after the incident, Ramirez called Christian Ulvert, his campaign manager, to discuss next steps regarding an embarrassing incident he was planning to address as a candidate for elected office.
CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION
Last year, Levine Cava put Ramirez in charge of both the police and fire rescue departments as Chief of Safety and Emergency Response for the largest police department in the U.S. Southeast. The Miami-Dade Police released a brief public statement Monday saying Ramirez is in “critical but stable condition.”
As of Monday afternoon, investigators were still working to piece together what happened the night leading up to Ramirez’s self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Our prayers are with his family right now,” said Steadman Stahl, President of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association. "We don’t know exactly what happened.”
The Florida Highway Patrol’s Tampa office (FHP) confirmed the agency is working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to investigate an incident involving Ramirez along I-75 between Tampa and Miami.
“FDLE Agents and Troopers were on scene and will continue conducting investigative interviews today. Director Ramirez suffered serious injuries and is hospitalized. No one else was injured. There is no threat to the community. Our investigation is active,” the statement said.
