Miami-Dade corrections officer accused of shooting mother of his child

Report: Officer says he got upset after seeing victim having sex with man

OPA-LOCKA Fla. – A Miami-Dade corrections officer was arrested Monday after he shot the mother of his baby, authorities said.

According to an arrest report, officers were called to a home on Sultan Avenue in Opa-locka on Monday night in reference to the shooting and met with the victim, Wendi Vasquez, who said her baby's father had shot her and fled the scene in a black Crown Victoria. 

Police said David Mercado, 46, was in uniform when the shooting occurred.

According to the arrest report, a responding officer called the Miami-Dade corrections desk at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and spoke with the shift commander. The commander told the officer that Mercado had just called him and said he had been struck by some road debris on his way to work, so he stopped at Palmetto Hospital.

According to the report, the victim was lying in bed with another man when Mercado began knocking on her bedroom window and screamed, "Come out, you whore! I am going to kill you and him!"

Vasquez told authorities she went to the front door to try to calm Mercado down, but he pushed past her and went to the bedroom, where the other man was lying on the bed with the baby.

Police said Mercado tried to shoot the man, but Vasquez got between the two men and she was shot once in the chest.

Police said the other man grabbed his own gun and fired at Mercado.

According to the arrest report, Mercado and the other man fired again at each other as Mercado was leaving the home.

Authorities said the corrections officer was treated for a minor wound at Palmetto Hospital.

Mercado was taken to the Opa-locka police station, where he claimed he got angry after seeing his baby's mother having sex with another man through her bedroom window, the arrest report stated.

Police said Mercado claimed he went into the home and slapped the other man in the face.

He said the other man started shooting at him, hitting him in the chest, authorities said.

Police said Mercado denied shooting Vasquez.

According to the arrest report, the outside of the home had three fresh bullet holes next to the front door that came from the street and were fired at the house. That evidence was consistent with the victims' description of events, authorities said.

Mercado was arrested on charges of attempted murder and burglary. He is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

"Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to comment at this time regarding this incident with an MDCR officer while off duty. However, we are saddened by this tragedy and our prayers are with the victims and their families," Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department spokesman Juan Diasgranados said in a statement.

Vasquez's mother was at the hospital Tuesday with her daughter's baby, who will turn 1 on Friday. 

She said she's praying that her daughter pulls through, as the victim is suffering from blood in her lungs.

Vasquez's mother, Doris Echevarria, said Mercado and her daughter are not together and insisted that the corrections officer has never really been there for the baby. 

According to Echevarria, Mercado is currently married and has several other children.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.