Freddy Ramirez drops out of Miami-Dade sheriff’s race following suicide try

Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo” Freddy” Ramirez has dropped out of the race for Miami-Dade sheriff, weeks after a suicide try that almost took his life.

In an announcement on Wednesday, Ramirez introduced his departure from the 2024 county sheriff’s race.

“My dedication to run for sheriff has all the time been about public security and persevering with my life’s work to maintain households protected. Earlier this 12 months, I filed to run for sheriff to help and information a profitable transition to a sheriff’s workplace and make sure the mission and work ethic of the division was unchanged. That dedication and mission is stronger than ever- and whereas I can’t be a candidate for Sheriff in 2024, I sit up for working with the Mayor and stakeholders on a profitable and easy transition that places public security on the forefront of each resolution,” he mentioned within the assertion.

“I recognize the group’s properly needs and help over the previous few months and can stay centered over the approaching weeks on my continued restoration.”

The 52-year-old Ramirez has been with the Miami-Dade Police Division for almost 30 years. It’s the most important division within the southeastern U.S. and eighth largest within the nation. In Might, he introduced his intention to hunt election subsequent 12 months to the newly created position of sheriff, which has similarities to the police director place.

Particulars of the suicide try

The suicide try occurred again on July 23. Ramirez had been attending the Florida Sheriff’s Affiliation’s annual summer time convention at a Marriott lodge in Tampa. Ramirez left the lodge along with his spouse, Jody, and was driving south on Interstate 75 in Hillsborough when he pulled over and shot himself, in keeping with the Related Press.

Jody Ramirez frantically referred to as 911, and the police chief was rushed to a Tampa hospital, the place he underwent surgical procedure.

Hours earlier than the incident, Tampa police to the lodge the place a witness noticed a person and lady arguing exterior. The individual referred to as 911 after they mentioned the person, later recognized as Ramirez, pointed a gun to his head.

Police arrived and questioned the couple, however no arrests had been made. Jody reportedly instructed the police that they had been “simply having a heated dialog,” which she remarked wasn’t uncommon after 30 years of marriage.

After being questioned, the couple left the lodge to return dwelling to Miami, in keeping with the police report. At about 8:30 p.m., Ramirez referred to as his boss, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and provided his resignation.

“Freddy instructed me he had made a mistake, he was ready to resign,” the mayor recounted throughout a July 26 information convention. She mentioned Ramirez was “very remorseful” throughout their dialog, and that she instructed him to get dwelling safely and they’d focus on it the following day. Someday after that, he shot himself, in keeping with the police transcript.

Earlier this month, the couple launched a joint assertion saying “at no time was there even a touch of bodily aggression” between them.

The Miami-Dade Police Division introduced final week that Ramirez had been launched from the hospital and was dwelling recovering. Authorities beforehand mentioned Ramirez didn’t endure mind harm however will seemingly lose his proper eye.