Four officers from Miami-Dade have been charged in connection with the death of Cuban UPS driver Frank Ordóñez and another motorist during a shootout between police and jewelry store robbers in Coral Gables on December 5, 2019.
The indictment comes four and a half years after the armed robbery of Regent Jewelry on Miracle Mile, followed by the hijacking of a UPS truck by the robbers, culminating in a dramatic police chase and shootout that left two innocent people and the assailants dead.
The Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association (PBA) confirmed on Monday that the four officers have been charged over the December 2019 shooting, which claimed the lives of Ordóñez and Richard Cutshaw, a 70-year-old driver heading home.
The names of the officers have not been disclosed, nor have the specific charges they face been detailed.
"We are deeply disappointed that after nearly five years, these officers are being charged for a situation where they had mere seconds to make a decision," the Miami-Dade PBA stated in a release cited by América TeVé.
"This has a chilling effect on officers in Broward County, where a State Attorney is prosecuting an officer for not responding to an active shooter, and now charges officers for responding to active shooters. As the process moves forward, we will monitor and defend our officers," said the statement, signed by Steadman Stahl, president of the Miami-Dade PBA.
Ordóñez's family had previously filed a civil lawsuit against the authorities, but in August 2022, a Broward County judge ruled they had no right to sue due to sovereign immunity.
Upon learning that four officers would face criminal trial, Luz Apolinario Merino, Ordóñez's mother, told América TeVé via phone, "There was no need for this to happen and for my son and that gentleman to lose their lives."
The grieving mother expressed her hope for a fair trial, saying, "I'm waiting for a conscientious trial, for each judge that day to put their hand on their chest and feel the pain that I, as a mother, felt losing my son. I watched him die on television."
Joe Merino, Ordóñez's stepfather, told the news channel that the charges against the police are "surprising after four and a half years" and emphasized, "Finally, there's some progress. I won't say there is justice yet because I haven't seen it in that tunnel."
Referring to the PBA's statement, Merino argued, "We're not talking about seconds; we're talking about hours because it started in Coral Gables, moved from Coral Gables to the Turnpike, and from the Turnpike 25 miles to the Miramar exit. Three helicopters, five police departments. They could have called ahead: 'Close this exit, close that exit,' so they could have run out of gas on the Turnpike and negotiated."
Frank Ordóñez was 27 years old when the incident occurred, living in Hialeah Gardens, and was the father of two young girls, then aged five and three.
The young Cuban had been working for UPS for five years, but December 5 was his first day as a driver for the company when the jewelry store robbers at 386 Miracle Mile in Miami hijacked his vehicle and took him hostage.
This led to a high-speed police chase spanning 25 miles through several Miami-Dade cities before reaching Broward County, broadcast live on television.
The truck stopped at a traffic light near the intersection of Miramar Parkway and Flamingo Road, where it was surrounded by over a dozen police officers. An initial investigation revealed that approximately 200 bullets struck the UPS truck.
According to authorities, the suspects opened fire on the officers, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire that resulted in the death of two innocent individuals: Ordóñez and Cutshaw, as well as the two robbers.
Following the tragic outcome, Ordóñez's family blamed the police for his death.
In statements to the press, Roy Ordóñez, Frank's brother, said, "We had to watch my brother being killed live on TV. We all had to see it. They used civilian cars as shields. To say what they did was total bravery is false and disrespectful to the people."
"They killed him," Merino said to a TV channel, asserting that the tragic event "could have been avoided" and that it was the police's responsibility to prevent the death of an innocent young man.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Miami Police Officers' Charges
Here we address some common questions regarding the recent charges against the Miami police officers involved in the 2019 shootout that led to the death of Frank Ordóñez and Richard Cutshaw.
What led to the charges against the Miami police officers?
The charges stem from a shootout on December 5, 2019, involving a police chase and gunfight with robbers that resulted in the deaths of Cuban UPS driver Frank Ordóñez and motorist Richard Cutshaw.
Who were the victims in this incident?
The victims were 27-year-old Frank Ordóñez, a UPS driver, and 70-year-old Richard Cutshaw, a motorist heading home at the time of the incident.
What was the reaction of the victims' families to the charges?
The families of the victims expressed mixed emotions, with Frank Ordóñez's mother and stepfather feeling both surprise and a sense of progress, though they remained cautious about calling it justice.