Miami-Dade mayor says Freddy Ramirez is "a very strong man..who will pull through"
MIAMI---Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava provided an update Thursday on Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez who is recovering in a Tampa hospital after reportedly trying to take his life by shooting himself in the head last Sunday night.
The mayor told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench "Chief Ramirez is a very strong man who is continuing his recovery and we are continuing our prayers for him and his family. We know he will pull through this so thanks to everyone who is holding him in their hearts and prayers."
Coincidentally, the mayor spoke to CBS News Miami at Agape Family Ministries which has special rehabilitation programs for women and which Ramirez recently visited.
"Chief Ramirez visited Agape about two weeks ago and that's the kind of person he is," she said. "He was fully dedicated to the well-being of all our citizens and making sure they could have a chance to be productive members of our society."
James Phillips, a licensed therapist, told CBS News Miami that he is surprised by the actions reportedly taken by Ramirez.
"I am surprised it escalated to this point," he said. "These are bad decisions usually taken by people who suffer some sort of long-term trauma and they don't see a way out of this and they panic and make bad decisions."
He says there are behavior patterns that we should be aware that sometimes predict that people can be suicidal.
"If you are not sleeping well or not eating regularly or not eating healthy foods or exercising regularly, these are worrisome signs that something may be wrong. Also look at inter-personal relationships, how people are getting along with others."
It is not known how long Ramirez will be at Tampa General Hospital.
Investigators fear he could lose vision in one of his eyes.
On Wednesday, CBS News Miami partner the Miami Herald obtained audio from a 911 call made from the Marriott Hotel where Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez and his wife were staying regarding a "man with a gun."
Here is transcript from the 911 call, as reported by the Herald:
Caller: "The front desk is telling me there's a guy with a gun in our front drive."
Dispatcher asks for description.
Caller: "No, I didn't get that much info because of the way the call was received"
"I've got somebody who supposedly is in the front drive with a gun," she adds, saying the information came from guests on their way into the hotel.
Dispatcher: "Officers are on the way."
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Wednesday that Ramirez had offered to resign his job during his conversation with her following a domestic dispute he had been involved in while in Tampa for a law enforcement convention
The conversation with the mayor occurred before Ramirez turned the gun on himself as he was in the car with his wife while on Interstate 75
"I had a very brief conversation with the chief around 8:30 p.m. (and) he was very remorseful," she said during a morning news conference to provide an update about Ramirez and his medical recovery. "I reassured him that we would talk the following morning. He told me he was driving back to Miami at that time and I told him we would talk the next day"
The Mayor told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench "There was an incident at a hotel in Tampa and that he had made mistakes and he was remorseful. I was focused on the moment. Freddy had said he made a mistake and that he was prepared to resign and I told him that we would talk about it the next day."
Levine Cava had some emotional words when she was asked about Ramirez's service.
"I love Freddy," she said. "He is an amazing human being and he is the best of law enforcement and of what law enforcement means. I have total trust in his leadership. He was extremely passionate about law enforcement and his officers and public safety and about the community. That was reflected in everything he did and was returned by the amount the community believed in him and expressed for him."
"Every day he gains strength and he is apart, alert and responsive. We are optimistic that he will continue to recover surrounded by his family and loved ones. This incident is a tragic reminder of the role mental health plays in law enforcement officers' well-being. Their jobs are demanding and stressful and emotionally taxing and often require officers to put their lives on the line."
Miami-Dade Commissioner Chairman Oliver Gilbert III said, "This is sad. Freddy is not just a colleague but he is a friend. We are not just praying for his family but we are praying for all the men and women in law enforcement who are affected by this. This is a reminder of how vigilant we have to be and to take care of ourselves. Every first responder when they leave the house put their lives on the line every day."
Ramirez, 52, was critically injured after he shot himself Sunday during an apparent suicide attempt while returning from Tampa, authorities said. He had apparently been involved in an argument with his wife at a Tampa hotel in the moments before he turned the gun on himself as they were returning to South Florida.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Florida Highway Patrol are both investigating the incident. No one else was injured during the incident.
"I am glad that we were able to be by his side in this time of darkness (to) provide some light," the mayor said. "We are keeping him and his family and the entire Miami-Dade family in our prayers at this time."
Ramirez was in his car with his wife when he pulled over by the side of the road along Interstate 75 and shot himself, according to two law enforcement sources.
He was taken to Tampa General Hospital where he underwent surgery and was in critical but stable condition, officials said.
Cava said Wednesday that Ramirez is "alert, awake and responsive" in the wake of the shooting.
Ramirez and his wife were in Tampa for the summer meeting of Florida's Sheriff Association, which began on Sunday at the JW Marriot Hotel. The couple left the welcome reception for the conference at around 6:30 p.m. and went outside the hotel where an argument allegedly ensued.
According to the law enforcement source, a passerby claimed to have seen Ramirez threatening to kill himself.
"A citizen saw him take out his gun and put it in his mouth," the source told CBS Miami.
Ramirez announced two months ago that he would run for sheriff next year as a Democrat.
He was named police director in 2020 under former Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
Levine Cava elevated Ramirez two years later so he could oversee the police department and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue as interim chief of public safety. He was later given the position permanently.