Second suspect connected to shooting of MDPD officer, killed by police in Miami Springs
MIAMI SPRINGS – A large police operation in Miami Springs Tuesday evening was connected to the Monday night shooting that left a Miami-Dade officer in critical condition.
According to MDPD Director Freddy Ramirez, it all happened Tuesday afternoon when the department's Special Response Team was executing a search warrant at an Extended Stay hotel in the 100 block of Fairway Drive.
A source familiar with the investigation shared several details about the case with CBS4's Jim DeFede.
The source said the shooting occurred after detectives from multiple jurisdictions – BSO, MDPD, FBI and ATF – set up surveillance on the hotel.
According to the source, the hotel was where Jeremy Willie Horton and his accomplice stayed prior to an armed robbery in Dania Beach.
As police watched the hotel, they discovered that there were other people in the room as well, including some children and the children's mothers.
It appeared that the group was getting ready to pack up and check out of the hotel to leave the area. The women had left the room to go to the store and pick up supplies.
Miami-Dade's SRT entered the room and quietly got the kids out before the shooting occurred.
The suspect, who has not been identified yet, reportedly had an AK-47 with him in the bathroom. SWAT officers shot and killed him.
It's not known if the man ever fired the assault weapon at the officers.
Ramirez confirmed this case is part of a larger robbery investigation out of Broward County – one that eventually led to officer Cesar Echaverry being shot in Liberty City the night before.
According to police, Robbery Intervention Detail detectives spotted a vehicle that was involved in an armed robbery in the area of NW 62 Street and NW 17 Avenue.
They pulled the driver over but he refused to get out of the vehicle, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
In an attempt to escape, the driver sped off, striking the detectives' vehicles.
The officers gave chase before it came to an end near NW 62 Street and 10 Avenue. The suspects then bailed out of the vehicle.
"An altercation ensued and shots were fired resulting in both the officer and subject shot," according to a police press release.
Echaverry was shot in the head, while Horton was killed.
Echaverry remains in critical condition in the hospital.
Stay with CBSMiami.com for updates on this developing story.