A new report from law enforcement illustrated the scene the moments after Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez attempted suicide in his car on the side of the highway near Tampa. NBC6’s Kim Wynne reports
Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez attempted suicide on July 23, and now he and his wife Jody have released a joint statement about the shooting and the events that led up to it. Read the full statement here.
In the statement released by their lawyer, Kendall Coffey, the Ramirezs expressed their appreciation for the outpouring of messages of support and well wishes for the MDPD director's recovery and that the care and concern of so many have meant a great deal to their family.
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The couple then addressed what they deemed "damaging and hurtful misinformation" about the events of the evening of July 23.
According to the statement, Jody emphasized that "no time was there even a hint of physical aggression between her and Freddy. Nor is there the slightest evidence of such contact - not from Jody, not from a witness and not from any of the various security cameras operating throughout the hotel."
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Ramirez had been attending the Florida Sheriff's Association's annual summer conference at a Marriott hotel in Tampa when the initial altercation occurred.
Police reports released Aug. 2 detail Tampa Police's response to the alleged gun incident involving Ramirez at the Marriott hotel on July 23.
According to the reports, an unknown witness had seen Ramirez arguing with his wife before Ramirez pulled out a gun and either put it to his head or in his mouth and allegedly said, "I'm going to end it all today."
Hotel security was alerted before officers responded to the hotel around 6:30 p.m. and were led to the 12th-floor room where Ramirez and his wife had gone, the reports said.
"A verbal argument could be heard in the hallway between an unknown male and female but no specific threats were heard by officers," an officer noted in one report.
According to the joint statement, "the reckless allegation that he took out his gun prior to checking out from the hotel that evening is false and unsupported by either witnesses or camera footage" and "the public deserves to know the truth rather than sensational and unsubstantiated falsities."
The statement added that both "Jody and Freddy were shocked by the sudden arrival of numerous police officers shortly after 6:30 on that Sunday evening. It was even more shocking that Freddy was put in handcuffs."
The reports said Ramirez had to be told multiple times to show his hands because he kept putting them down near his waistline before he was placed in handcuffs.
“You know I’m the director of the Miami-Dade Police Department?” Ramirez is heard saying in the bodycam footage before questioning who called the cops.
“I didn’t do anything, I don’t understand,” he said as he was being placed in handcuffs.
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The Ramirezs' joint statement said that being put in handcuffs is a "profoundly disturbing event for any who experiences it," but that it was even more so for Freddy, who is a leader in law enforcement and had an unblemished record of nearly 30 years serving the Miami-Dade community.
On the night of July 23, Jody told police the argument never got physical, and said Ramirez hadn't made threats to harm her, the reports said.
Ultimately, officials said officers couldn't locate any first-hand witnesses or security footage showing the alleged gun incident. And when Ramirez was questioned, he denied pulling out his gun, the reports said.
"The male advised he was armed but did not remove his firearm. I asked the subject if he wanted to harm himself or others and advised he did not. I further asked the subject if he had any suicidal thoughts, and he advised he did not," an officer wrote in one report.
After Ramirez left the hotel, he and his wife were driving south on Interstate 75 in Hillsborough when he pulled over and shot himself, authorities said.
In a 911 call released Wednesday, Jody Ramirez is heard pleading for help from the side of the highway.
According to their joint statement, "after the seriously troubling and confusing events that had befallen them during the drive home, with both still bewildered and distraught, Jody was able to grab her husband’s arm so that the resulting injury was serious but not fatal. She saved Freddy’s life."
After the shooting, Ramirez was rushed to a Tampa-area hospital and underwent surgery. Another FHP report detailed what troopers saw when they responded to the scene, such as blood all over the director's vehicle and the bullethole in the driver's side window.
He remains hospitalized, and though authorities said Ramirez didn’t suffer brain damage, he will likely lose his right eye.
Freddy and his wife got married in 1995, the same year he joined the Miami-Dade Police Department as a beat cop. They are high school sweethearts.
In the nearly 30 years he has served the Miami-Dade community, they have stood together as he rose through the ranks working every beat from criminal and special investigations, to homicide, robbery, special victims, agriculture, street violence task force, among others.
Together they have four kids. Their son, Brandon, followed in his father's footsteps and is serving as a sergeant for MDPD.
"This is a strong family anchored on a 30-year marriage of love and deep mutual respect," the statement said. "Jody, Freddy and their four children continue to be a family utterly devoted to each other. Jody is respectfully requesting that their sisters and brothers in law enforcement, as well as members of the public, appreciate what an extraordinarily painful and challenging time this has been. She will not be commenting and will remain dedicated to Freddy’s recovery, looking forward to the moment when they will walk out of the hospital together."
