Doral Police Sergeant Shot By Trainee During Training Exercise
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A local law enforcement officer was hospitalized after being wounded during a training exercise.
Police said it happened at the Miami-Dade Public Safety Training Institute located in Doral.
Doral Police Chief Hernan Organvidez said the officer was shot in the upper torso while conducting a training exercise.
"He is a sergeant assigned to the road, but he a training instructor," said Organvidez.
Doral Police identified the officer as 29-years-old Eric Fernandez.
They say he joined the department in May 2008 and became a Sergeant in 2016. CBS4 has learned he may have broken ribs and a broken clavicle.
The training exercise in question is one that is conducted for new officers.
Sources tell CBS4 that a trainee shot Fernandez during the exercise and may have ignored instructions from Fernandez when the incident occurred.
The shooting happened near a simulation setup for law enforcement to practice close encounters with the suspected criminals.
Chopper4 was over the scene and a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue helicopter airlifted the injured officer to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The sergeant was conscious while being transported.
An investigation into the training incident is being conducted by the Miami-Dade Police Department. It's unclear how the training instructor became a target or why live weapons were being used at the time of the exercise. Organvidez is eager to find out.
"I definitely want to find out to do any corrective actions that we need to do in the future for these incidents, or this unfortunate incident, not to happen again," he said.
Doral Police Chief Hernan Organvidez talks about the injured officer
A quick search found no other instances of officers being shot at the training institute prior to today.
Dozens of police officers from Doral, Miami-Dade and Miami went to the hospital in support for the injured sergeant.
"I want to thank you all for coming out and we wanted to put out the fact that our officer is doing well. I just met with him and the family," said Organvidez. "The officer is doing well and is stable condition and well and we really appreciate the support of the entire community."
"The overall support in law enforcement is fantastic, not only for the family but also the department. We have family in there and all sorts of people reaching out to assist us," said Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina who joined his fellow officers at the hospital in a show of support.
Doral Police has asked that Fernandez and his family are given privacy during his recovery.
