'Who cares about a dead cop!' Firefighter suspended for sick comments about detective killed on duty
MIAMI, FLORIDA: The fire department of Miami has suspended a firefighter after he posted a message mocking the death of a city police officer killed while doing his duty. Miami-Dade Detective Cesar "Echy" Echaverry, who was a member of the department’s robbery intervention detail, was shot in the head while confronting a robber in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood on Monday, August 15.
Echaverry was rushed to the Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center where he was announced dead on Wednesday, August 17. Kevin Newcomb, a firefighter, on Thursday, August 18, joked about the death of the police officer and mockingly said he deserved to die as he mostly was "anti-gun control and unvaccinated."
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In his mocking message, Newcomb mentioned the infamous school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and police officers who died from Covid-19. "Who cares about another dead cop probably against gun control ... Cops exist for the government to exercise its monopoly on violence. They want the whole world to stop when one of theirs goes down ... How many idiots I had to transport with honor guard their dead bodies from coronavirus because they were all too stupid to wear masks or get vaccinated ... All cops are for is protecting the rich property owners and the status quo. Everything else is a farce. F*** the police." Newcomb ranted.
Reacting to Newcomb's message, Fire Department Chief Joseph Zahralban released a public statement in which he mentioned that the department was aware of the message posted and now he had been relieved his of duty.
"We have been made aware of a message that has been circulating regarding a written statement posted by one of our members. At this time, we are conducting an investigation into the statements that were made and the individual has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation," Zahralban's statement read.
The chief further explained that the comments made by Newcomb don’t reflect the values of the Miami fire department. "As public safety professionals, police officers and firefighters depend on one another to ensure our mutual safety. It is the foundation of our working relationship and the source of our respect for one another," the statement continued.
Official Statement from Joseph Zahralban, Fire Chief. pic.twitter.com/dGWEFcHZmA
— Miami Fire Rescue (@CityofMiamiFire) August 18, 2022
However, the department is preparing for a procession to move the policeman's body to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Department on Friday, August 19. To honor the late police officer, the Miami Marlins baseball team has dedicated a jersey with the number nine and his name.
Echaverry was killed when he spotted a white sedan that was involved in an earlier armed robbery at a gas station in Dania Beach. Hearing the police siren, Horton, the driver, tried to speed away but got hit by police patrol cars and a civilian car. He tried to run away from the police but got shot during the gunfight. The second suspect in the armed robbery, Jamie Robles, was shot and killed by officers during a search on Tuesday, August 16, at a hotel in Miami Springs.