POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony held a news conference Friday afternoon, where he released bodycam footage showing the Wednesday night shootout between three of his deputies and a Broward County Transit employee.
Tony confirmed that other Transit employees called 911 at 11:25 p.m. Wednesday.
He said the suspect, Rafael A. Molina, 59, had been working at the Broward Transit bus area near the 3200 block of West Copans Road in Pompano Beach before entering a locker room where he changed into regular clothes.
According to Tony, surveillance video shows the suspect waiting outside a locker room while holding a lunchbox.
When his co-worker exits the locker room, Molina pulls out a gun from the lunchbox and fires multiple shots at the victim at point-blank range, killing him, Tony said.
The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Warren H. Chambers.
The sheriff said surveillance video shows Molina destroying his own cellphone with a hammer before getting into a nearby bus.
As deputies arrived at the scene, Molina exited the bus and fired at them, Tony said.
He confirmed that the suspect fired six gunshots at the more than half a dozen responding deputies and three returned fire, shooting a total of 49 times.
“Make no mistake, this is the only legitimate kill mission we have in law enforcement,” Tony said.
Molina was pronounced dead at the scene.
“He made his mind up that he was going to die that day and kill as many people (as possible), including law enforcement,” Tony said. “No one’s expecting us to come here and negotiate with someone who is gunning down individuals.”
Tony described all three deputies who fired their weapons as “courageous” and said he intends to give all three the Medal of Honor.
They have been identified as Sgt. Noel Mercado, 44, who is a 22-year veteran of BSO, Deputy Joseph Sherbo, 31, who has been with BSO for four years and Deputy Richard Delagudio, who has been with BSO for a year.
The footage released Friday came from Sherbo’s body camera.
BSO detectives are investigating the shooting between the Transit workers, while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the fatal deputy-involved shooting.
The three deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative assignments, per standard protocol.
Authorities haven’t said whether they’ve determined the suspect’s motive.
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