As two undercover Miami-Dade Police detectives continue to recover after being shot Monday night, their co-workers and officials from several agencies have begun the process of figuring out what took place outside a Northwest Miami-Dade apartment complex.
Crews from Miami-Dade Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement remained at the scene of the shooting off Northwest 62nd Avenue and 20th Street Tuesday morning.
Officers Charles Woods, 37, and 47-year-old Terence White were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where White is listed in stable condition while Woods was treated and released.
"This is a brazen act of violence committed against two of our finest police officers there protecting us in this community," Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said. "They were ambushed and we're not going to tolerate it."
Cameras caught the detectives’ undercover van riddled with bullets – the result of what officials are calling an "ambush style attack."
"I can tell you from looking at the crime scene that these officers are lucky to be alive," said Miami-Dade Police Chief Juan Perez, who arrived at the scene after being at Jackson Memorial Hospital with the detectives – who were transported in a pickup truck by another group of officers who responded to the scene.
"It’s been a while since I’ve seen a car hit with so many bullets," Perez added. He would go on to say he is hopeful that the community will help them find the person or people responsible.
"It's just a clear indication of how violent, how mean and how unsafe the streets of Miami-Dade County are," said John Rivera, President of the county's PBA.
"Last night we had two Metro Dade police officers involved in a shooting and thank God they're okay and we're here supporting them," Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Sanchez said. "We all realize this is a dangerous profession, we leave work every morning and we don't know if we're going to come back, that's why it's so important to say goodbye to our family. Our philosophy is we're always coming back. These officers were blessed to come back."
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Witnesses say they heard the sound of gunshots inside their homes – some saying they have had enough.
"I’m ready to leave Miami. It’s too out of hand and they need to really do something about this," said Michelle Brown. She added that while she wants officers to become more involved in the community in stopping the violence, everyone needs to help each other.
"What did those two officers do to them? We need the officers so that doesn’t make sense," Brown said. "We can’t do this by ourselves and not all police are bad."
Police agencies and officials throughout South Florida and the country were sending messages of support to the Miami-Dade Police Department Tuesday.
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Police or Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers.
