HIALEAH, Fla. – A Miami-Dade police officer has been shot while off duty in Hialeah and a former South Florida police officer is now in custody, authorities confirmed Friday morning.
The shooting occurred Friday morning at the victim’s home in the area of West 79th Street and 12th Avenue.
Miami-Dade police Detective Luis Sierra confirmed that the officer was off duty at the time, and that the shooting was a “domestic-related incident.”
Police said Officer Damian Colon was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition.
There was a heavy law enforcement presence outside the hospital as Colon was inside, fighting for his life.
“Right now, he is in surgery with his family and his police family,” Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez said. “We are all praying for him right now and we ask that the community (to) give thoughts for our officer and his family.”
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also went to the hospital after the shooting.
“We are all praying as a community and we are hopeful -- we are hopeful that this will come out well,” she said.
Colon has since come out of surgery.
Hialeah police confirmed that the shooter was a former Miami-Dade Schools police officer, who is now in custody.
“The shooter is a former Miami-Dade school police officer who has been terminated some time ago,” Hialeah police Sgt. Jose Torres said.
Neighbors told Local 10 News reporter Trent Kelly that they heard one gunshot go off around 6:30 a.m.
Police responded to a home, where sources say Colon was shot in the head following an argument with his ex-girlfriend.
Sources identified her to Local 10 News as Yessenia Sanchez.
Sanchez was arrested last September after records show she threatened to hurt herself following another physical fight with Colon.
The district confirmed she later resigned rather than face termination.
“It was surprising. Like who would actually shoot a cop so early in the morning?” one neighbor said.
While it’s not clear what started the altercation Friday morning, Hialeah police say the shooter was taken into custody.
Neighbors told Local 10 News they are hoping the officer will survive.
“It’s a really good neighborhood,” one neighbor said. “You wouldn’t expect that to happen here, especially considering there’s a school right around the corner. Kind of sad to have this happen.”