TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Miami Officer Slain, Car 'Made Into Swiss Cheese'

ADVERTISEMENT

By LISA ORKIN EMMANUEL, The Associated Press

Published: January 9, 2008

NORTH MIAMI BEACH - A Miami police officer was found shot to death in an unmarked patrol car riddled with bullet holes early Tuesday, becoming South Florida's fourth law enforcement officer killed in recent months.

Detective James Walker, 30, was found in his car in an alley by North Miami Beach officers responding to reports of shots fired around 12:50 a.m., Miami police spokesman Lt. Bill Schwartz said. Walker had been shot multiple times, apparently with a high-powered weapon, and it wasn't known whether he returned fire, Schwartz said.

"His car had been filled with holes," he said. "The car was made into Swiss cheese."

Police were searching for at least one gunman and a white Ford Taurus with bullet holes. Schwartz said police had no suspects identified, but were questioning drug dealers, gang members and others in search of information.

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.
Blood trails led from Walker's car, and officers in flak jackets, helmets and rifles walked the scene as investigators searched for clues. Police said a high-powered assault weapon was found at the scene, but did not disclose whether it was the one used to kill Walker.

"I know we have checked a lot of homes, run down a lot of leads. We don't have a suspect at this point," said Delrish Moss, a Miami Police spokesman. "We are not stopping."

Walker went off-duty at about 11 p.m. Monday. It's not clear what he was doing in North Miami Beach, Schwartz said.

His body was removed from the car and taken to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy. Law enforcement members lined both sides of the street and saluted as the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue vehicle drove past, escorted by five police officers on motorcycles.

One of the motorcycle officers was struck by a car on Interstate 95, but was conscious and talking as he was taken to a Miami hospital, Schwartz said.

"We think he's going to be fine," he said.

Walker's patrol car was to be removed from the scene and examined for evidence separately, officials said.

Walker had been a member of the Miami police since 2000, and was working with the department's domestic violence unit.

His ex-wife lived in the area where he was found, said John Randle, the detective's brother-in-law.

"I don't know what he was doing in this alley," Randle told The Associated Press. "He was a good, humble guy. He was no trouble. I can't tell you no flaws."

A North Miami Beach police spokesman said the area is not considered a hot spot for drugs or gangs, but referred all calls for specifics to the Miami police department.

A chaplain was dispatched Tuesday, and grief counselors were made available, Miami Deputy Police Chief Frank D. Fernandez said. Another chaplain who volunteers for the police department visited Walker's parents.

"I prayed with them and gave them words of comfort and counseling," said Gaston Smith, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Miami. "They were very, of course, saddened, surprised, shocked."

Walker's death is the fourth fatal shooting of a South Florida law enforcement officer in the past five months. A Miami-Dade police officer was killed during a shootout with a suspect in September. One Broward sheriff's deputy was shot fatally in August while looking for stolen vehicles behind a drug store, and another was shot with his own weapon while transporting an inmate to court in November.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT