Bodycam video shows Tampa officers with Miami-Dade police director hours before he shot himself on I-75
TAMPA, Fla. - A 22-page police report and newly released body camera footage are shedding new light on a confrontation between Tampa officers and Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III hours before he attempted to take his own life.
As reported by Miami's WSVN-TV, the 911 call reported a man threatening himself with a gun at the JW Marriott Hotel in downtown Tampa on July 23. That man turned out to be Ramirez, who was in town with his wife, Jody, for a sheriff's conference.
The bodycam footage captures police officers outside Ramirez’s hotel room.
"Tampa police! Tampa police! Come out with your hands up. Hands up!" an officer can be heard saying. In the hallway, police said, officers could hear a loud argument from a 12th-floor room.
Body camera video shows interactions between Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez and Tampa officers. Courtesy of the Tampa Police Department.
Requesting a unit with a shield, officers announced themselves, and a woman later identified as Jody Ramirez came out of the room.
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According to the police report, "The male subject then exited the room and had to be told multiple times to show his hands, as he kept putting his hands down near his waistline."
The bodycam video showed an officer placing Freddy Ramirez in handcuffs.
Body camera video shows interactions between Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez and Tampa officers. Courtesy of the Tampa Police Department.
"What are you doing? All right. You know, I’m the director of the Miami-Dade Police Department," Ramirez is heard telling officers.
Once in cuffs, Freddy Ramirez continued speaking with officers.
"Sir, sir, are we good?" asked an officer.
"Gentlemen, please. Am I good?" said Ramirez.
"Can you, um, do you have any identification on you?" said an officer.
"Yes, sir, in my room, in my wallet," said Ramirez. "I was just talking to my wife. Man, I didn’t do anything man, please. Freddy Ramirez. If you write a report, you guys are going to blow my ass up. I didn’t do anything, please."
The report stated a gun was seen in its holster under a chair in the room.
"Did you display the gun at all?" said an officer.
"No, no, sir, OK? We had a discussion," said Freddy Ramirez.
"What was the discussion about, sir?" asked an officer.
"Nothing, just talking about marriage stuff. We’re good," said Freddy Ramirez.
"Marriage stuff?" an officer questioned.
"That’s all," said Freddy Ramirez.
"Troubled marriage right now?" said an officer.
"No, we’re good. We’re good," said Freddy Ramirez.
"Did voices get loud?" questioned an officer.
"No. Yes, we were talking but nothing else, sir. Please, please, don’t do this to me, I’m here for the sheriff's conference," said Ramirez.
Speaking with police at the opposite end of the hallway, Jody Ramirez could be seen on telling the officer who was questioning her that the altercation was an argument about "private stuff."
Body camera video shows interactions between Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez's wife and Tampa officers. Courtesy of the Tampa Police Department.
"We’re just having a heated conversation, we’re fine," said Jody Ramirez. Due to the initial call reporting a man threatening to shoot himself, the officer wanted to make sure there was no threat.
"Did it get physical at any point?" asked the officer.
"No, at all," said Jody Ramirez.
"Did he make any threats at any point?" asked the officer.
"No, no," said Jody Ramirez.
"That he wanted to…" said the officer
"No, nothing like that," said Jody Ramirez.
"Did he take the gun out and wave it in any fashion? Point it at himself, point it at you?" the officer asked.
"Um, honestly, I can’t remember because we’ve been – we’re into rum, and I don’t normally drink, and I’ve had a little bit to drink," said Jody Ramirez.
Body camera video shows interactions between Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez's wife and Tampa officers. Courtesy of the Tampa Police Department.
Jody Ramirez was asked repeatedly whether her husband pointed the gun at her. At first, she said she did not remember because she does not normally drink. Then, after providing her personal information, the police report said, "He always has a firearm on him. He’s not making any threats, I promise you."
The report states the officer "reminded [Jody] that she had previously stated to me that she ‘couldn’t remember’ if he had pointed the gun at her or himself, to which she replied, ‘I don’t remember him pointing it at anybody, is what I’m telling you’."
The initial report of a man threatening to shoot himself had the officer continuing to ask if Ramirez, 52, was a threat to himself.
The police report states Jody Ramirez told officers, "He has a temper."
The police report stated Tampa police officer C. Parker "explained that we weren’t looking to put anyone in jail but if her husband wasn’t in the right state of mind the last thing we needed was for him to have access to a gun, to which she stated, ‘No, my husband is fine, he is just mad at me right now, and I’m pushing all his buttons, so he’s mad at me right now.'"
Body camera video shows interactions between Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez's wife and Tampa officers. Courtesy of the Tampa Police Department.
Since officers could not verify the initial report, Freddy Ramirez was not taken into custody for a mental health evaluation and was released. The police report states, "The subject verbally identified himself as Freddy Ramirez. Ramirez did not appear to satisfy Baker Act criteria, and was later released from detainment by other officers on scene."
Several hours after his release, investigators said Freddy Ramirez shot himself in the head along the side of Interstate 75 as he and his wife were heading back to Miami.
He was rushed to Tampa General Hospital where he underwent surgeries and continues to recover.
On Wednesday, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Ramirez gave her an update on his condition.
"He’s making progress, and we’re all praying and supporting him and his family as they continue with the process of recovery," she said. Miami-Dade County officials said Freddy Ramirez is on sick injured leave following a critical injury.
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call please call 211, 988, or the National Suicide Prevention hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-800-273-8255. You may also text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line).