Arrest made in ambush of undercover Miami-Dade detectives

Author: CBS Miami
Published: Updated:
Multiple officers were on the scene after two Miami-Dade police officers were shot and wounded Monday night. (Photo via CBS Miami)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) An arrest has been made in the shooting of two Miami-Dade undercover detectives in the parking lot of a northwest Miami-Dade apartment complex.

Damian Thompson, 19, a reputed gang member, has been arrested for the shooting. Thompson was one of the men detained after the shooting, police said.

Detectives Charles Woods, 47, and Terence White, 37, were conducting surveillance for gang activity Monday night at the Annie Coleman complex at 1937 NW 60 St. when they were shot.

They were sitting in their unmarked police minivan in the parking lot and were approached by a group of people.

They called for backup, but before they could get out of the minivan, one of the men pulled out what appeared to be an AK47 assault rifle and began ringing the car with bullets. The shooter moved toward the minivan as he fired, starting on the passenger side, working his way around the front of the car and then shooting at the driver’s side, according to a law enforcement source.

One of the officers was able to return fire.

More than 20 rounds were fired at the unmarked car.

An arriving officer rushed the two detectives to the Jackson Ryder Trauma Center in the back of a black pickup truck.

“They are lucky to be alive. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a car hit by so many rounds. A high-powered weapon struck that vehicle and the officers should be counting their blessings today. We certainly are counting our blessings,” said Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez.

After spraying the detective’s vehicle with bullets, the gunman took off.

White, a 26-year veteran of the force who was shot in the foot, remains in the hospital where he is listed as stable. Woods, an 11-year veteran, who was shot in the arm was treated and released.

Ten hours after the shootings, officers swarmed the Hyatt Place Hotel on LeJeune Road and say they took several people connected to the shooting into custody for questioning.

Late Tuesday evening, authorities said they arrested an 18-year-old male, who was among those detained, on unrelated charges.

Police originally said they were looking for two suspects in the shooting. They now say Thompson was the only shooter.

Authorities say the two detectives are lucky to be alive after what happened.

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