Not only is this story not going away any time soon, but now the Miami Herald’s Fred Grimm, has weighed in on the North Miami Police Department’s disastrous shooting of an unarmed black man last summer.
In his column posted this morning, Police chief confronts feuds, lies, incompetence and a shooting gone wrong, the renowned columnist reiterated how SWAT team member Officer Jonathan Aledda fired his weapon, not once but three times, after a sergeant “got on the air and said, ‘I have a visual; it is a toy. QRX,'” explaining that QRX means “stand down, do not do anything.”
BOOM!
Mr. Grimm also described the chaotic scene in which shooting victim Charles Kinsey “had tried his damnedest to convince police that the severely autistic man seated on the curb next to him was harmless. ‘Sir,’ he yelled to the gaggle of twitchy police officers who had responded to a 911 report of a possibly suicidal person like a terrorist threat. ‘There’s no need for firearms.'”
BOOM!
Mr. Grimm also pointed out that despite the irrefutable evidence that Commander Emile Hollant, who was present but did not witness the actual shooting, was suspended without pay, while the shooter was suspended with pay.
BOOM!
He also noted, interestingly, that after Mr. Kinsey was shot, “the cops turned the bleeding man – the very fellow they were supposedly trying to save – face down in the dirt and handcuffed him. Perhaps that was just a precaution until they could figure out how they were going to spin the story.”
BOOM!
And, lastly, the 41-year Miami Herald veteran reporter emphasized that the “Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office cleared Hollant of any wrongdoing in August (though he inexplicably remains suspended, albeit now with pay).”
BOOM!
It is now public knowledge that due to a “personal vendetta,” Assistant Chief Larry Juriga deliberately provided false information about Commander Hollant to Police Chief Gary Eugene, who in turn gave that false information to City Manager Larry Spring, who, in a knee jerk reaction, immediately suspended Hollant without pay, and without even attempting to verify the story.
Then everything spun out of control.
Juriga and his co-conspirator, Commander Angel Rivera, should have been fired on the spot. Instead, they’re still on the payroll.
Courtesy of North Miami taxpayers, of course.
And yet, despite the fact that the their decisions were based on a pack of lies, city officials are digging their heels in and stubbornly refusing to admit they screwed up.
But, keep digging that hole, North Miami.
Keep digging that hole.
Stephanie
I personally witnessed Hollants amazing police work
When I needed him. He arrested my sons Mom
and tryed very hard to arrest her drug dealing boyfriend.
My son was in a bad environment until I called Hollant
And explained the problem This guy and his team of officers
are the best. Justice will soon be served!
The incident with the North Miami Police Department and the reaction of many on the high up in the city is absolutely disgusting. Without doubt that includes City Manager Larry Spring, Assistant City Manager Duke Sorey, Assistant Chief of Police Larry Juriga, Officer Angel Rivera, Councilman Scott Galvin, and the City Clerk. That clerk’s position should be appointed. Not elected!
Obviously they don’t give a damn about truth, honesty, integrity, the NMPD or the City! There has been infighting in this department for years. The taxpayers deserve better from the Mayor and City Council. Are they trying to turn North Miami into Opa Locka?
If any in this group, believe for one minute, that the residents are clueless they had better get a grip on reality.
These individuals are an embarrassment to all decent residents of North Miami and we pay their salaries.
Shame on those in power in North Miami.