It took me 2 hours to get home tonight. It usually takes me 40 minutes. I'm not complaining. I know I arrived at home, safe and sound. A Miami-Dade police officer was not so lucky. Officer Jose Somohano was gunned down this morning while on duty on robbery detail.
Three other officers were also shot during the same incident. They were hurt but they survived. Supposedly shot by an AK-47. The alleged gunman, Shawn Sherwin Labeet, is still on the run. The manhunt continues. That was the reason for the delay getting home.
I got off the Florida Turnpike as usual. A few blocks closer to home I realized I was probably in the midst of the police efforts. There were a lot of police cars at that point. Many going against traffic. I saw a lot of Ford Tauruses. I guess they do use those a lot. I had heard that once.
It took 20 minutes to get to the next light. Upon getting there I saw we were being detoured South. I needed to keep going straight. I travelled in a stairs pattern until I got somewhere I thought I could swing around and get back to the main road I needed. At the 4-way Stop they were turning most cars the other way. Cops were everywhere, in all different uniforms. Federal, State and local. Many different local departments were represented here. I personally saw the Miami-Dade police, Coral Gables, Homestead and Florida City. There were many more. They all sent their own to hunt for the man who had killed one of their own.
I gave the policewoman my drivers license. She asked where I was going. I just wanted to get home. She signaled up ahead that they should let me through. As I slowly turned I wanted to tell her that I was mourning with her but she moved quickly to the next vehicle. I was rushed by another officer. How could I rush when I had no idea how I was supposed to behave in a situation like this?
At the next Stop sign I signaled left and marvelled at how little traffic there was at 6:30 PM on this main artery. Even so, I was cautious turning onto the road. There were undercover lights coming toward me and I waited until they passed. I wanted to cause no more work for these officers than they already had. The officer driving the other way looked right at me as he passed. They were looking everywhere for him.
At the next intersection I waited at the light for directions from an officer. He, too, wanted my license. He was very courteous as he told me that I was being detoured yet again. This time North. I needed to show him that even though I did not put my life on the line when I left for work each morning I still supported what he and his colleagues were doing. "We're mourning with you," I told him. "Ma'am?" He seemed surprised and wasn't sure he'd heard me correctly. I repeated myself. "Thank you Ma'am." I drove slowly down this foreign street.
I could tell the next roadblock a mile up was different. They had firearms drawn at this one. When it was my turn they didn't want my license, just to see inside my car. I put all the windows down. They asked me to pop the trunk open. I did and they checked. I somehow felt that I had to singlehandedly show my support to these officers. Who the heck had commissioned me to be the goodwill ambassador? I told this cop that I was sorry about what happened. We spoke briefly and I continued down the road and waited at the next light.
I encountered no more roadblocks but police were everywhere. When I finally arrived at home the TV was tuned to a local channel covering the incident. I was surprised by how sweet the assailant looked. He didn't look like a hardened criminal. His boyish looks belied the fact that he could point a high powered weapon at 4 police officers and shoot without regard for what happened next.
I hurt for him too. Why would he give up rights to his life like this? Where was he right now? Was he afraid at the realization of what he'd done? Was he hiding in the underbrush somewhere? Was he in one of the aqueducts at a canal? How does a police officer check one of those and not be afraid that he'll be shot in the face? Had he made it out of the county as some were thinking? Did he have people helping him? How did his mother feel being told that her son had killed a police officer? He was going to die for it. Either during the capture or later at the hands of the state. No matter how I played it out, I didn't like it.
Many questions. No good answers. One life ended. Many lives shattered. I'm glad I'm home.......
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A Florida Real Estate Broker specializing in residential properties in Miami-Dade County, specifically the Village of Palmetto Bay and the Redland. Hablo Español.
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Can never understand what make some people tick! Hopefully they catch him soon. We had the Beltway Sniper up here that held the whole area hostage for more than a few weeks. They finally caught them about 3-4 miles from my home. You just never know.
Maggie - how terrifying - I am glad you are home..... and trust me this person needs serious help
Maggie - This was far more excitement in one day, Glad you made it home safely.
Maggie, I saw parts of this throughout the day. The assailant is only 25 years old and hopefully will be caught soon. I can't even imagine how glad you are to be home.
I woke up to the news that the suspect was killed last night around midnight in a confrontation with police. He had travelled to another county so he had someone helping him. Although I expected this was the way it would end it still surprised me. I was falling in love at the age of 25. I guess I need to stop trying to make sense of certain things. Many things don't make sense.
Maggie,
Crazy stuff over there in Dade county..I was checking it out on the news during the day...I still am wondering why this guy just decided to start shooting..there must be more to this...he must have done more than they know about or he just went bonkers...crazy stuff here in Florida.
I heard about this on the news, it is just terrible. I am glad they got him. Now you can all feel safe again.
Maggie - Glad you are home safe! It is important for us to show our public servants our respect and gratitude - They probably didn't expect it nad that is sad.
I first noticed there was something going on as I was traveling up US1 North to notice the incredible parade of police cars racing south in the middle of the day. Honestly, I had never seen anything like it - hundreds of cars from every county and municipality imaginable. I knew something BIG was going on.
I am glad they caught the guy - but how scary is it to know that there are people like that in our midst and we have no idea. You have to wonder - where was this guy headed - with his car full of ammo and body armor??? A school?? a work place??? A realtors office?
Neal - like you, I moved to FL from NY. I grew up in the midst of a huge city where sirens lulled you to sleep and I was just a teen when the Son of Sam was out doing his thing. You never get used to it. Crazy stuff indeed.
Linda - to tell the truth, I felt very safe last night with all the police around. However, when it was time for bed, I went to sleep in the girls room and locked the bedroom door. I never do that.
Paula - it was a little sad for me. To think they put their lives on the line each day and hardly ever hear a thank you from the public.
Beth - I know what an impression that must have made on you. If you see 4 or 5 you know something's up, but to see that many, you know it's gotta be huge. The impact of what might have been stopped just hit me as you wrote that...A school?? Unimaginable. Who knows? Maybe Officer Somohano saved dozens and dozens of lives with his own yesterday.
Maggie, wow... I got an email from Mom who's with Grandma in Hawaii .. to be careful that this happened in Miami. I told her I was ok, that was 5 hours from here at least. Holy Cow it was right on your doorstep! Glad you got home safe! I felt like I was riding in the car with you...
Lysa - you must have been the reassuring presence I felt with me. =) Aren't Moms the cutest things? Bless her heart!
Maggi - How terrible. It serves to remind us that sometimes it is the split second decision we make that alters the course of history and time forward for not only ourselves but thousands of others. Very touching account of the experience, Maggie.
Note: he won't be doing that to anyone else, they got him this AM!
Marlene - well said. I shudder to think what he had been planning.
Janie - thanks. I placed the update in my comment above but I didn't bother to update the post. It's troubling to think that there are more and more of these types of incidents taking place.
I just got home but one of my clients told me he was killed in the city I moved out of Pembroke Pines. My wife was freeking last night figuring he might show up in Weston. I sell Re in Pines on a regular basis..it is a farm area...I hope it does not deter people because it really is a wonderful place to live,just that the guys relative lived there.
Neal - I think you don't have to worry about that. For the most part, people know that these types of crimes can happen just about anywhere. I don't think any place is insulated enough to be immune to it. Besides, the crime happened in South Dade (very close to where I have 17 listings by the way). Pines was just where he ran to in an effort to elude the cops. Remember the doctor that was killed in Coral Gables a couple of years ago? Crime happens everywhere.
It was a scary day in Miami, there were cops everywhere! I'm glad that they found him and that no one else got hurt. My heart goes out to young family of the officer that was killed. It takes a special kind of person to do that job! I wonder how he got all the way to Pembroke Pines without getting caught first..
You'll have quite a story to tell for a while with your experience!
Arlyn - it was scary, wasn't it? Living in NYC for over 30 years I can honestly say I never experienced anything like this (I left 1 month before 9/11 happened). The number of police officers everywhere was staggering. And you're right. It does take a special person. I say a prayer for them each time I pass one on the road. They put their lives on the line each day just by showing up to work.
Maggie, One never knows huh? :) So they caught they guy? I never heard a thing on our local news...
Lysa - that same night he was found in Pembroke Pines. Apparently, he would not give up without a fight. Another shootout occurred and he was killed.
We kept hearing about this in Tampa and recall not long ago how a cop killer was on the loose. SCARY... I'm thrilled you made it home safely too. Someone willing to shoot at the police is not someone to reckon with whatsoever!