The Florida police chief who attempted suicide on a highway after an argument with his wife Sunday night offered his resignation before he injured himself, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced Wednesday.
Levine Cava spoke on the phone with Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, she said. He told her that “there was an incident at the hotel in Tampa and that he had made mistakes, and he was remorseful, and he was going back to Miami, and we would talk about it more the next day," she said.
She added, "He told me he had made a mistake, that he was prepared to resign."
Levine Cava didn't elaborate more on the conversation; she said an investigation into Sunday's events continues.
Authorities announced Monday that Ramirez shot himself in the head on a Florida highway after an argument with his wife.
He had surgery Monday afternoon and was stable, Miami-Dade police officials said Monday evening.
“He probably has a long road ahead, a lot of surgeries, but he is going to survive,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister told reporters in Tampa.
Levine Cava said Wednesday that Ramirez is stable after having undergone surgery. "And every day that he is recovering, he is continuing to regain his strength. He’s now alert, awake and responsive," she said.
Officers responded Sunday evening to the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s summer conference in Tampa, where “a male had pointed a gun at himself,” police said in a statement.
When officers arrived on the 12th floor of the Marriott Westside, Ramirez, 52, told them he was no danger to himself or others and was “released at the scene,” Tampa police said.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office described the encounter as a domestic dispute between Ramirez and his wife.
But shortly after the incident, Ramirez drove off and shot himself in the head, the sheriff said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said the incident happened on I-75, south of Tampa.
“Our hearts are with Chief of Public Safety Freddy Ramirez and his family during this difficult time,” Levine Cava said in a statement. “All that matters right now is his well-being and we continue to pray for his speedy recovery.”
Ramirez had announced his candidacy for sheriff of Miami-Dade County in 2024.
He grew up in Hialeah and was raised by his grandparents, who fled Cuba and the Castro regime, according to his campaign biography.
He graduated from the University of Miami, married his high school sweetheart and joined the Miami-Dade Police Department in 1995, his campaign said.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle called Sunday night’s shooting “deeply saddening.”
“An incident such as this is so deeply saddening, and I am praying and hoping for Chief Freddy Ramirez’ full recovery,” she said. “We all know that we need many, many more individuals with the strength, courage and commitment he has exemplified throughout his career.”
During Wednesday's news briefing, Levine Cava called Ramirez "an amazing human being," adding: "He is the best, the best of law enforcement. ... I have total trust in his leadership."
She mentioned how she had appointed Ramirez to a dual role, the chief of safety and emergency response, as well as director of the Miami-Dade police.
To that end, Levine Cava also announced two appointments Wednesday to fill Ramirez's duties temporarily. She appointed JD Patterson, the chief of corrections and forensics, as the interim chief of public safety, responsible for the "public safety portfolio" that includes Miami-Dade police, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the Department of Emergency Management, Corrections and Rehabilitation and the medical examiner’s office. She also appointed Deputy Director Stephanie Daniels as interim director of the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Levine Cava said Ramirez's shooting is a "tragic reminder of the critical role mental health plays in our law enforcement."
"We must continue working to eliminate any stigma around mental health care and to ensure that it is uplifted as an essential part of our health care," she said.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.