A Vietnam veteran who resorted to extreme measures in a desperate cry for help on Veterans Day tried to get the message out via social media last year.
"I've had trouble adjusting to civilian life and suffer from PTSD which back then was never mentioned, problems with substance abuse anger management and mental issues," Fredy Gutierrez said in a video he posted on Facebook in October 2012.
The 59-year-old Sunrise man, who is facing deportation, straddled a ledge on a ramp off Interstate 595 and Florida’s Turnpike for nearly three hours before he surrendered to police Monday, authorities said.
In his Facebook video, Gutierrez asked for help with his immigration problems.
"Homeland Security is in the process of deporting me back to my native Colombia," he said.
Thirteen months later, Gutierrez tried to get his message across again – this time holding a rifle while perched on the ledge of a ramp.
"We were initially told of a rifle. We ended up finding out later it was inoperative,” said Chad Rosen, who was the primary negotiator with the Davie Police crisis response team Monday. “We of course assume it’s real.”
While traffic was stopped, police were concerned about more than Gutierrez and cars on the road.
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"We even had to go so far as to contact the FAA because you have aircraft flying overhead going into the airport," said another negotiator.
Three of them worked together to establish a rapport with Gutierrez and calm him down.
They communicated with him via cell phone for several hours.
"He was very elevated, he was crying, he was really just frustrated," said Cohen.
The negotiators agreed on the one thing that ultimately helped resolve the crisis.
"I think yesterday he wanted his voice heard and he specifically asked for Willard Shepard, and I had the resources to be able to reach out to Mr. Shepard, and he was more that willing to respond," said Patricia Ravine.
Shepard, a NBC 6 reporter who is also a veteran, said he spoke to Gutierrez in military terms, and tried to make him see that taking his own life or harming others wouldn't improve his situation and would only make matters worse for his family.
Shepard agreed to talk with Gutierrez face to face once there was a peaceful resolution. Shepard contacted an immigration attorney to be there as well.
Gutierrez already had hired an attorney in January to work on his case. Michelle Sanchez says immigration officials claim Gutierrez – who applied for citizenship in 1973 – did not appear at a naturalization interview 30 years ago. He claims he was never informed.
A drug conviction in 1992 is another obstacle. His case is in the appeals process and there is no imminent threat of deportation.
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