PPD Explorer
01-08-2008, 10:15 PM
Miami Officer Found Shot To Death In Unmarked Patrol Car
A Miami city police officer was found shot to death in his unmarked patrol car early Tuesday, becoming South Florida's fourth law enforcement officer killed in recent months, authorities said.Detective James Walker, 30, was found in the car in an alley by North Miami Beach officers responding to reports of shots fired around 12:50 a.m., said Miami police spokesman Lt. Bill Schwartz.
"It's hurt a whole lot," Schwartz said. "We expect every once in a while to have officers killed in the line of duty, but Officer Walker was off duty."
Searching For White Ford Taurus
Police were searching for a suspect in a white Ford Taurus, but they didn't release details of the gunman. Officers said the car was made between 2001 and 2007 and likely has bullet holes and damage to its right rear panel.
Blood trails led from Walker's car, and officers in flak jackets, helmets and rifles walked around the scene as investigators searched the area for clues.
"We found some blood trails leading in different directions, which very well does indicate that other people were injured," Schwartz said.
One man being questioned had been shot in the arm Tuesday morning, but police did not call him a suspect. "He might just be an innocent bystander," Schwartz said.
Schwartz said police had no suspects identified, but investigators were questioning drug dealers, gang members and others to see if they had information.
Officer Shot Off-Duty
Walker went off-duty around 11 p.m. Monday. It's not clear what he was doing in North Miami Beach.
"Officer Walker, a detective with our domestic violence unit, got off duty last night at 11 o'clock. We don't know where he was going," Schwartz said. "We don't know why he was here, how he ended up in this position. Perhaps he came upon something that required police action."
Walker had been shot multiple times, apparently with a high-powered weapon, Schwartz said.
"His car had been filled with holes," he said. "The car was made into Swiss cheese."
Witnesses told NBC 6 they heard at least a dozen gunshots. One woman said that she saw the gunman carrying a rifle.
says WTVJ NBC 6
my prayers go out to the officers family
A Miami city police officer was found shot to death in his unmarked patrol car early Tuesday, becoming South Florida's fourth law enforcement officer killed in recent months, authorities said.Detective James Walker, 30, was found in the car in an alley by North Miami Beach officers responding to reports of shots fired around 12:50 a.m., said Miami police spokesman Lt. Bill Schwartz.
"It's hurt a whole lot," Schwartz said. "We expect every once in a while to have officers killed in the line of duty, but Officer Walker was off duty."
Searching For White Ford Taurus
Police were searching for a suspect in a white Ford Taurus, but they didn't release details of the gunman. Officers said the car was made between 2001 and 2007 and likely has bullet holes and damage to its right rear panel.
Blood trails led from Walker's car, and officers in flak jackets, helmets and rifles walked around the scene as investigators searched the area for clues.
"We found some blood trails leading in different directions, which very well does indicate that other people were injured," Schwartz said.
One man being questioned had been shot in the arm Tuesday morning, but police did not call him a suspect. "He might just be an innocent bystander," Schwartz said.
Schwartz said police had no suspects identified, but investigators were questioning drug dealers, gang members and others to see if they had information.
Officer Shot Off-Duty
Walker went off-duty around 11 p.m. Monday. It's not clear what he was doing in North Miami Beach.
"Officer Walker, a detective with our domestic violence unit, got off duty last night at 11 o'clock. We don't know where he was going," Schwartz said. "We don't know why he was here, how he ended up in this position. Perhaps he came upon something that required police action."
Walker had been shot multiple times, apparently with a high-powered weapon, Schwartz said.
"His car had been filled with holes," he said. "The car was made into Swiss cheese."
Witnesses told NBC 6 they heard at least a dozen gunshots. One woman said that she saw the gunman carrying a rifle.
says WTVJ NBC 6
my prayers go out to the officers family