Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez offered his resignation to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava before he shot himself in an apparent attempted suicide over the weekend, the mayor said.
Levine Cava held a news conference Wednesday where she confirmed she spoke with Ramirez over the phone before he shot himself near Tampa Sunday night.
"Freddy told me he had made a mistake, that he was prepared to resign," Levine Cava said.
The mayor said Ramirez expressed remorse over an incident involving his wife at a Tampa hotel during their brief conversation, telling her he "had made mistakes."
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"He was very remorseful and I reassured him we would talk the following morning," Levine Cava said. "He told me he was driving back to Miami at that time and I told him we would talk the next day."
The mayor and county leaders spoke highly of Ramirez Wednesday, calling him a leader and an extraordinary public servant, but not dismissing the fact that the shooting has impacted all of them.
"This is sad because Freddy wasn’t just a colleague he's a friend,” Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Chairman Oliver Gilbert III said. "We never want to feel this sad again or be this heartbroken again."
They're also putting an emphasis on mental health care, saying the shooting is a tragic reminder of the critical role mental health plays in law enforcement.
"There's nothing wrong with seeking help, it is a sign of strength to tell us that you need help,” Gilbert said. "This is difficult, we won't pretend it's not, but it's also a reminder that we have to be more vigilant and taking care of ourselves."
Ramirez had been attending the Florida Sheriff's Association's annual summer conference in Tampa on Sunday when he had been involved in some sort of domestic dispute with his wife at a hotel, authorities said.
Ramirez left the hotel and was driving somewhere along I-75 in the Riverview neighborhood, toward the southern end of Hillsborough County, when he pulled over and shot himself, officials said.
Levine Cava said Ramirez remained hospitalized but was "alert, awake and responsive" Wednesday. She said she's optimistic he'll continue to recover.
"I'm glad that we were able to be by his side in this time of darkness as together we hope to see some light," Levine Cava said. "I love Freddy, he is an amazing human being. He is the best, the best of law enforcement, what law enforcement means, I have total trust in his leadership,"
South Florida Police Benevolent Association President Steadman Stahl told NBC6 Tuesday that he met with Ramirez's family and was told the police director was speaking. He said the family "is very emotional" but doesn't believe Ramirez has severe brain damage at this point.
"It's a very somber time for the family, but they’re standing by his bedside and we wish him the best,” Stahl said. "From the reports I have read, it looks like the bullet went through and out the eye, but it doesn't look like it's going to be any brain damage."
Ramirez, 52, was rushed to a Tampa-area hospital and underwent surgery Monday. Miami-Dade Police said he was in stable condition.
"Director Ramirez continues to positively recover post-surgery. He continues to receive outstanding medical care in Tampa surrounded by his family, loved ones, and MDPD brothers and sisters," the Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement Tuesday. "Thank you to our community and law enforcement family for all your prayers, support, and strength."
Sources told NBC6 that Ramirez's wife was with him at the time of the shooting. No one else was injured in the incident.
According to Tampa Police, officers had responded to a report of a man with a gun outside the Marriott Waterside, where the conference was being held.
Officers arrived and were given third-hand information alleging a man had pointed a gun at himself, but there were no first-hand witnesses or security camera footage capturing the alleged incident, police said.
Police said officers found Ramirez in a 12th-floor room with a woman who Ramirez said he'd been involved in an argument with.
Ramirez said he had not displayed a firearm and had no intention to harm himself or others, police said. The woman corroborated that they had an argument and that she did not have any concerns about her safety being in danger, police said.
Since there was no evidence of a crime or immediate danger, Ramirez was released at the scene, police said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Highway Patrol have launched a joint investigation into the incident.
Ramirez had announced earlier this year he would run for sheriff in 2024 to try to keep his position as head of the police department.
He first joined Miami-Dade Police in 1995 and worked his way up through the ranks. He became police director in 2020 and then received a further promotion to Miami-Dade County chief of public safety.
The Miami-Dade Police Department is the largest in the southeastern U.S. and 8th largest in the country, with more than 3,000 sworn officers and over 1,000 civilian staff.
"Freddy is the type of leader, the type of man, who bears the burdens of those around him, he carries the weight of his department and he's always willing to take on more," Levine Cava said Wednesday. "This incident is also a tragic reminder of the critical role that mental health plays in our law enforcement officers' well-being. The reality is that these jobs are very demanding, they're stressful and they're emotionally taxing."
Levine Cava also discussed her appointment of Deputy Director Stephanie Daniels, who's been with the Miami-Dade Police Department since 1992, as Interim Director, saying she brings "steady leadership."
