Police in Florida shot and killed a bus worker after he allegedly lay in wait and executed his colleague with a gun pulled from his packed lunch at a depot.
Bodycam footage released by authorities captures the intense exchange of gunfire between deputies and the suspect at the Broward Transit maintenance facility last Wednesday.
Rafael A. Molina, 59, allegedly pulled out his gun and fatally shot co-worker Warren H. Chambers, 42, before officers encountered them at the facility.
Molina then used a hammer to destroy his cell phone and positioned himself in an ambush inside an unoccupied bus, Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said during a news conference Friday.
Molina fired six times at the deputies who ran toward the bus, and the deputies responded by firing 49 shots back.
Police in Florida shot and killed bus worker Rafael A. Molina, 59, after he allegedly lay in wait and executed his co-worker with a gun pulled from his packed lunch at a depot.
Bodycam footage released by authorities captures the intense shootout between deputies and the suspect at the Broward Transit maintenance facility last Wednesday
Molina, 59, allegedly pulled out his gun and fatally shot co-worker Warren H. Chambers (pictured), 42, when officers confronted them at the scene
The three deputies involved in the shooting have been identified as Sgt. Noel Mercado, 44, Deputy Joseph Sherbo, 31, and Deputy Richard Delgaudio, 33.
When deputies arrived at the Broward transit facility shortly after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, they were told a man had been shot and the shooter remained at large.
In 911 calls released Friday, employees who witnessed the shooting can be heard describing the scene to the dispatcher.
“There’s a shooting at my job at Broward Transit in Copans, hurry, the guy’s got a gun, he’s shooting,” a witness said during a call.
‘He’s still in here, he’s still in here, he’s walking around, he’s got a white shirt on, khaki pants, he’s walking around, he’s got the gun in his hand.’
“He actually shot and killed one of his associates before the deputies made contact with him,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Veda Coleman Wright said.
The bodycam footage shows one of the deputies rushing into the facility and running toward a bus
Molina used a hammer to destroy his cell phone and positioned himself in an ambush inside an unoccupied bus, Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony (pictured) said during a news conference Friday
Authorities later said the fatal shooting of the victim, Chambers, stemmed from “some sort of argument or dispute.”
‘We looked at the video footage and the suspect as we can see is formulating, considering, planning further as to what his next move should be.’
‘We see the person go into a changing room of some sort, he changes clothes, he’s now in civilian clothes and he just waits. What we are referring to is an ambush for him, Tony said on Friday.
“He removed the firearm from the lunch box and then when the victim comes outside the room, he executes the victim by firing multiple shots at point blank range and laying the victim down,” Tony said.
The bodycam footage shows one of the deputies rushing into the facility and running toward a bus.
‘We saw him pull out a hammer and destroy his mobile phone. We saw him go and position himself strategically in an ambush inside a bus that was unoccupied,’ said Tony.
In the video, gunshots can be heard as one of the deputies approached the bus and yelled, ”Stop! Hold! Hold!’
Chambers was a mechanic at the transit facility who had worked for six years
The three deputies fired a total of 49 shots, Tony said, adding that they have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues
When the gunfire stopped, a deputy yelled, ‘He’s down!’
“It’s quite clear that he’s waiting, he was waiting for a while for his colleague to change and come out in his clothes and then he shot and executed him,” Tony said.
The three deputies fired a total of 49 shots, Tony said, adding that they have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
“I’m going to put the medal of honor around all three of them, that’s the bravest thing I’ve seen,” Tony said.
Both Molina and Chambers were mechanics at the transit facility. Molina had been at the facility for 16 years and Chambers worked for six years.
The incident occurred at the end of their shift Wednesday, when Broward County Transit’s buses are being serviced and repaired.
Broward County Mayor Nan Rich said in a statement: ‘This is a tragic loss of life. Our Broward County family mourns the loss of these two transit employees.’
‘Let us keep their memories in our thoughts and prayers as we process this terrible loss.’