5 Arrested in shooting of Miami-Dade detective
MIAMI - Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez held a press conference on Thursday afternoon to say 5 people had been arrested in Wednesday's shooting of a narcotics detective.
He said 2 main suspects were in custody. Three others were arrested for harboring. They've been identified as Andre Copeland, Kendrick Watkins, and Fredrick Watkins.
In a news conference, Ramirez said, "You can train. You can prepare but you can train but you can not control someone's will to harm or kill an officer."
In an earlier press conference, Ramirez said, "When you are going after violent individuals, that's the inherent risk involved with protecting each other. Even after he was shot , he continued to move forward and take him in to custody. Our officer is resting and in good spirits and thank God he is okay."
Steadman Stahl, the President of the South Florida PBA, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "It just goes to show that these streets are dangerous out there."
"There's an element out there that wants to attack police officers and shoot them and kill them. It's spooky and if they are going to do that to police officers what do you think they would do to the average citizen out there. This is a very well-respected officer who was just doing his job. They talk about life being a matter of inches and if that shot had just gone a quarter of an inch the other direction, we'd be having a different conversation right now."
Ramirez had also posted on Twitter, "Thanks to the tireless efforts of my officers, the coward who ambushed my detective yesterday is in custody. Thank you to all of our local law enforcement partners for their help. No matter the colors of our uniform, we all come together in trying times and work as one family."
"I would also like to thank our community for their continued support and prayers for the injured detective and my officers. Lastly, thank you to the State Attorney's Office for their partnership," said Ramirez.
According to the senior law enforcement source, the detective was conducting surveillance as part of a major narcotics investigation and was following a car as part of that probe.
Police believe the driver of the car, identified as 30-year-old Atiba Moore, realized he was being followed and may have deliberately led them to the area of NW 5th Avenue and 43rd Street where the shooting took place.
Detectives are investigating the possibility that Moore called ahead to an accomplice and organized the subsequent ambush.
When the car arrived in the area of 43rd Street, the detective got out of his car and approached Moore. As he walked up to him, a man came up behind the detective and shot him in the back of the neck, according to the law enforcement source.
Ramirez said, "Even after he was shot he continued to move forward and take him into custody."
The gunman then ran off.
Despite being shot, the detective managed to subdue Moore and take him into custody before help arrived, according to the source.
The injured officer was rushed to Jackson Memorial where bullet fragments were removed from his head and neck. The detective was then released from the hospital.
Meanwhile, dozens of police units from different agencies flocked to the area.
Miami police sealed off the neighborhood as the gunman fled into a house. Detectives found the location and surrounded it. As the SWAT team was waiting for a search warrant to go into the residence, the alleged gunman came out and surrendered.
According to a senior law enforcement source, the man taken into custody was identified as Steve Gallon IV, the son of Miami-Dade County School Board member Steve Gallon.
Director Ramirez said it's time for violence against police officers to end.
"I'm tired of being here at the hospital four times already for injured officers being stopped and attacked and this has to stop. If you attack an officer, you're attacking the community, you're attacking children," said Ramirez.