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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 25 July 2023
Miami’s police chief shot himself while with wife, Florida media

report. He survived

By FREIDA FRISARO said. “We ask you to please
Associated Press keep him in your prayers.”
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) The state’s law enforce-
— The director of the Miami- ment agency said no one
Dade Police Department else was injured and there
was in stable condition af- is no threat to the commu-
ter surgery in a Tampa area nity.
hospital, the Miami-Dade Details regarding Ramirez’s
mayor said Monday, amid injury or how it happened
reports from local media were not immediately con-
that he had shot himself. firmed by state or Miami of-
Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez, ficials.
52, was in Tampa for a law “We will provide informa-
enforcement conference, tion as it becomes avail-
officials said. able,” the Miami-Dade Po-
“Following a critical injury lice Department statement
in Tampa yesterday, Chief said.
Ramirez is hospitalized and A spokeswoman for Mi-
in critical but stable con- ami-Dade Mayor Daniella
dition,” said Miami-Dade Levine Cava told The AP
County Mayor Daniella that the mayor traveled
Levine Cava, adding that to Tampa after the shoot-
“that “All that matters right ing to “support Director
now is Chief Ramirez’s well- Newly appointed Miami-Dade Police Department director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez talks during Ramirez and his family.” She
being.” the press conference at Miami-Dade Police Department Headquarters on Wednesday, January deferred all other inquiries
8, 2020, in Miami.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Associated Press to the state’s law enforce-
Chad Chronister told Tam- ment investigating agency.
pa TV station WFLA that time. Dade police veteran and Law Enforcement said it, A Tampa police report said
Ramirez shot himself Sun- The Associated Press has was leading the largest along with the Florida High- officers were called to the
day night during a domes- not independently con- law enforcement agency way Patrol, is investigating downtown Marriott Water-
tic dispute after stopping firmed those accounts of in the southeastern U.S. In the “incident.” side regarding reports of
his car along Interstate 75 the shooting. But accord- May, he announced his in- “We have been advised a man pointing a gun at
south of Tampa, where the ing to a Tampa police re- tention to seek election for by local law enforcement himself outside the hotel
sheriff’s conference was port, Ramirez had pointed the newly-created role of agencies that our Director, during an argument with a
underway. a gun at himself during an sheriff in 2024, signaling his Alfredo ‘Freddy’ Ramirez, woman. The report did not
The Miami Herald and argument Sunday, showing desire to remain the lead- has suffered a critical in- include the name of the
WPLG reported that there were issues before ing law enforcement offi- jury in the Tampa area,” a woman with Ramirez, but
Ramirez’s wife, Jody, was the reported shooting. cial. statement from the Miami- the local news outlets iden-
traveling with him at the Ramirez is a 27-year Miami- The Florida Department of Dade Police Department tified her as his wife.q

Minneapolis backs off arrests for psychedelic plant use

The Associated Press depression and post-trau- ple,” Frey said in a state- Some researchers believe fer a final determination.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Min- matic stress disorder. ment. “With a rise in deaths psilocybin, the compound The FDA designated psilo-
neapolis is backing away “Experts are telling us that of despair in our city, and in psychedelic mushrooms, cybin as a “breakthrough
from enforcing laws that these plants help people, in our society, the data is changes the way the brain therapy” in 2018, a label
criminalize buying psyche- and that’s the business we showing that these plants organizes itself and can that’s designed to speed
delic plants or using them should be in – helping peo- can help be a remedy.” help users overcome things the development and re-
in private. like depression, alcoholism view of drugs to treat a seri-
Mayor Jacob Frey on Fri- and post-traumatic stress ous condition. MDMA, also
day ordered police to stop disorder. A drug that’s re- known as ecstasy, also has
using taxpayer dollars to lated to the anesthetic ket- that designation for PTSD
enforce most laws against amine was cleared by the treatment. The FDA in June
hallucinogenic plants. Min- FDA to help people with released draft guidance for
neapolis still prioritizes en- hard-to-treat depression. researchers designing clini-
forcing laws against selling But medical experts cau- cal trials testing psychedel-
psychedelic plants, bring- tion that more research is ic drugs as potential treat-
ing them to schools or using needed on the drugs’ effi- ments for a variety of medi-
them while driving. cacy and the extent of the cal conditions. The Biden
Minneapolis Police Chief risks of psychedelics, which administration has also
Brian O’Hara in a state- can cause hallucinations. provided to the National
ment said he stands by the The American Psychiatric Institutes of Health and
mayor’s decision. Association has not en- other agencies funding for
Announcing the order, Frey A vendor bags psilocybin mushrooms at a pop-up cannabis dorsed the use of psyche- dozens of projects study-
cited the potential for hal- market on May 24, 2019. Minneapolis is backing away from delics in treatment, noting ing psychedelic drugs with
lucinogenic plants to treat enforcing laws that criminalize psychedelic plants. the Food and Drug Ad- potential benefit for mental
Associated Press
mental illnesses including ministration has yet to of- and behavioral health.q