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

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

In a statement on Wednesday, Ramirez announced his departure from the 2024 county sheriff’s race.

“My commitment to run for sheriff has always been about public safety and continuing my life’s work to keep families safe. Earlier this year, I filed to run for sheriff to support and guide a successful transition to a sheriff’s office and ensure the mission and work ethic of the department was unchanged. That commitment and mission is stronger than ever- and while I will not be a candidate for Sheriff in 2024, I look forward to working with the Mayor and stakeholders on a successful and smooth transition that puts public safety at the forefront of every decision,” he said in the statement.

“I appreciate the community’s well wishes and support over the past few months and will remain focused over the coming weeks on my continued recovery.”

The 52-year-old Ramirez has been with the Miami-Dade Police Department for nearly 30 years. It’s the largest department in the southeastern U.S. and 8th largest in the country. In May, he announced his intention to seek election next year to the newly created role of sheriff, which is similar to the police director position.

Details of the suicide attempt

The suicide attempt happened back on July 23. Ramirez had been attending the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s annual summer conference at a Marriott hotel in Tampa. Ramirez left the hotel with his wife, Jody, and was driving south on Interstate 75 in Hillsborough when he pulled over and shot himself, according to the Associated Press.

Jody Ramirez frantically called 911, and the police chief was rushed to a Tampa hospital, where he underwent surgery.

Hours before the incident, Tampa police to the hotel where a witness saw a man and woman arguing outside. The person called 911 after they said the man, later identified as Ramirez, pointed a gun to his head.

Police arrived and questioned the couple, but no arrests were made. Jody reportedly told the police that they were “just having a heated conversation,” which she remarked wasn’t unusual after 30 years of marriage.

After being questioned, the couple left the hotel to return home to Miami, according to the police report. At about 8:30 p.m., Ramirez called his boss, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and offered his resignation.

“Freddy told me he had made a mistake, he was prepared to resign,” the mayor recounted during a July 26 news conference. She said Ramirez was “very remorseful” during their conversation, and that she told him to get home safely and they would discuss it the next day. Sometime after that, he shot himself, according to the police transcript.

Earlier this month, the couple released a joint statement saying “at no time was there even a hint of physical aggression” between them.

The Miami-Dade Police Department announced last week that Ramirez had been released from the hospital and was home recovering. Authorities previously said Ramirez didn’t suffer brain damage but will likely lose his right eye.