Freddy Ramirez ends campaign for Miami-Dade sheriff weeks after suicide attempt

Alfredo “Freddy’ Ramirez III formally ended his campaign for Miami-Dade sheriff on Wednesday, about eight weeks after the county police director shot himself in front of his wife on a roadside near Tampa.

Ramirez hasn’t been seen in public since the July 23rd shooting, and his withdrawal from the 2024 Democratic primary came in the form of a statement from Ramirez’s campaign obtained by the Miami Herald.

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“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,” Ramirez said in the statement. “That commitment 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.”

The statement only alluded to the shooting incident, with Ramirez thanking people for their well wishes and him stating he “will remain focused over the coming weeks on my continued recovery.”

Described by state police as a suicide attempt, the shooting came hours after Tampa officers briefly handcuffed Ramirez when they responded to a report he had brandished his gun during an argument with his wife, Jody, outside a hotel where they were attending a sheriffs convention.

Ramirez’s withdrawal formalizes what people close to his campaign privately said was inevitable after the self-inflicted head wound that the Ramirezes said in an Aug. 6 statement would have been fatal if Jody had not grabbed his arm before he pulled the trigger.

The former Republican entered the race in May as the heavy favorite. He had the fundraising backing of his boss, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and the advantages that come with being the county’s uniformed senior law enforcement officer running to retain command of the department.

READ MORE: Miami-Dade police director denies pulling out gun in Tampa, says wife saved his life

County voters abolished the sheriff post in the 1960s, and Miami-Dade’s mayor oversees the police department run by an appointed director. But a 2018 amendment to the Florida Constitution forced Miami-Dade to join the rest of the counties in the state in electing independent sheriffs.

Ramirez’s announced departure from the campaign leaves three Democrats in the race: John Barrow, a current county officer; Susan Khoury, a former federal agent for federal inspectors general, and retired county police officer Rickey Mitchell. Six Republicans are also running: current county officers Orlando Lopez and Ernesto Rodriguez; Ruamen de la Rua, a Miami officer; Mario Knapp, a retired county officer;Alexander Fornet, who owns a credit-repair firm and worked as a county office for two months in 2008 before becoming a volunteer in the officer reserve program; and Jaspen Bishop, whose biographical information was not available.

Candidates have until June 2024 to file for the race.

In the statement, Christian Ulvert, campaign manager for Ramirez and Levine Cava, said of Ramirez: “While he will no longer be a candidate for sheriff, I know his his commitment to our community’s well-being and safety is stronger than ever.”

The statements are silent on Ramirez’s next steps in law enforcement. Personnel records released by Miami-Dade show Ramirez is set to retire from county government in June 2025 under a Florida program that allows government employees to set a mandatory retirement date and begin collecting pension income early.

The county’s police department is being run by Stephanie Daniels, a Ramirez deputy named interim director by Levine Cava a day after the shooting. Ramirez’s other county position under Levine Cava, chief of public safety overseeing both police and Fire Rescue, was taken over by J.D. Patterson, a former police director who became a top administrator in the mayor’s office after Levine Cava’s 2020 election.

A police spokesperson said last week an internal affairs investigation was still underway of Ramirez’s discharge of his firearm. The county’s website said Ramirez is on medical leave.

Asked about Ramirez’s future, a Levine Cava representative said the mayor is open to his return once he’s medically ready to resume working. The statement by Johanna Cervone, Levine Cava’s chief of staff, said the two planned to meet about his future.

““The director will be meeting with the Mayor about his continued recovery and service to Miami-Dade County and the police department,” Cervone said. “The next steps will be guided by Freddy’s health professionals on the timing of his return and the best path forward for him to continue doing the work he loves. Right now, his continued full health recovery is most important.”