Yahoo Movies 29-year-old Florida detective dies after being shot in the line of duty
A 29-year-old Florida police detective has died after being shot in the line of duty, authorities said late Wednesday.
Officer Cesar "Echy" Echaverry of the Miami-Dade Police Department was critically wounded during a shootout with an armed robbery suspect in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood on Monday night. The suspect -- identified as 32-year-old Jerry Horton of Madison Heights, Michigan -- had opened fire on officers after allegedly robbing a convenience store in Dania Beach and fleeing the scene. Horton and a second suspect were subsequently shot and killed by the officers, according to police.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident.
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Echaverry was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition on Monday night, police said. Dozens of local officials and law enforcement officers gathered outside the hospital on Wednesday in a show of support for Echaverry and his family. During Wednesday's Miami Marlins game, the baseball team dedicated a jersey to Echaverry, with his name and the number nine etched on the back.
On Wednesday night, Miami-Dade Police Department director Alfredo Ramirez announced via Twitter that Echaverry had died. Echaverry was a detective in the Miami-Dade Police Department's Robbery Intervention Detail.
"It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the untimely passing of Officer Cesar "Echy" Echaverry," Ramirez said. "Surrounded by loved ones, Echy succumbed to his injuries after a brief battle for his life."
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said she was "heartbroken" to learn of the young detective's death.
"He laid down his life to stop a violent criminal, and we will be forever grateful for his selfless service and sacrifice to our community," Levine Cava said in a statement on Wednesday night. "Echy, as he was lovingly known to his police family, will be remembered always for his courage, his sense of duty, and his unwavering dedication to keeping our residents safe."
"We thank Echy’s parents for raising a hero and we hold them in solidarity as they grieve," she added. "Our county is safer today because of Detective Echaverry's bravery -- a sacrifice we will never forget."
29-year-old Florida detective dies after being shot in the line of duty originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
