MIAMI – The community is mourning the loss of a Miami-Dade police detective who died Wednesday after being gravely wounded in a shootout with an armed robbery suspect Monday night, with multiple public tributes in place or planned.
A steady stream of officers came to Jackson Memorial Hospital to pay their respects to 29-year-old Detective Cesar “Echy” Echaverry, who was rushed to the hospital following the shootout.
He had served on the force for five years.
Across town, flags fly at half staff at Miami-Dade police headquarters, where Echaverry and the Robbery Intervention Detail are based.
Miami-Dade College also plans to light the historic Freedom Tower in Downtown Miami up in blue to honor his life from sunset Friday through Aug. 26.
Those planning his final public ceremonies are balancing his family’s requests for privacy.
“There’ll be a time,” Jose “Pepe” Diaz, chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, said. “I’m positive that the family will also make sure that we give him his honors that he deserves for being a hero in our community.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also offered support Thursday.
“It was a devastating loss,” DeSantis said. “We are looking forward to hopefully being able to get down and pay our respects when they do the remembrance ceremony.”
Discussions are underway as to what that ceremony will look like. Echaverry’s family will drive the decision over how public any ceremonies would be.