Bodycam footage from a fatal shooting incident in Sweetwater, related to a domestic violence call, has been made public by NBC6 and Telemundo 51, seven months after the tragic event. The March incident resulted in the death of Frank Edismaro Díaz, a man in his 30s who was threatening his pregnant wife with a knife.
According to NBC6's coverage of the Sweetwater shooting, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office concluded its investigation last week, determining that the deadly force used by the three officers involved was legally justified.
The event occurred on March 11, at approximately 6:25 PM, when a 911 call reported a man with a knife in a heated argument with his five-month-pregnant wife.
Upon arrival, four Sweetwater police officers responded: two entered through the front door and two through a side entrance, all converging on the backyard where the confrontation was ongoing.
They found Díaz holding his wife by the neck, with her father attempting to separate them. The State Attorney’s report indicated that Díaz had thrown objects, shattered a glass door, and armed himself with two knives from the kitchen before officers arrived.
The bodycam footage captures officers repeatedly commanding Díaz to drop his weapon, issuing the order eight times before shots were fired.
"Drop the knife right now," an officer can be heard yelling in the video. Moments later, another officer instructed her colleagues to shoot. Officers Justin Statefeld, Orlando Villaverde, and Francisco Garcia discharged a total of seven rounds.
Díaz was pronounced dead at the scene despite resuscitation efforts. "Commencing chest compressions," an officer is heard saying as they attempted to aid him.
His wife survived with cuts on her hand and foot, was hospitalized, and released the following day.
A Telemundo 51 investigation revealed that only two of the four bodycams captured the shooting. Footage shows a knife on the ground near Díaz's body, with a second knife found on a wooden table, though its placement remains unclear.
The case was reviewed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), an independent state agency tasked with examining police-involved shootings.
After evaluating statements, footage, and collected evidence, the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office concluded on October 7 that Díaz posed an immediate threat to his wife and others present.
Sweetwater, predominantly home to a Hispanic community with a significant Cuban population, has witnessed other lethal police interventions in domestic violence cases in recent months. This month, a man in Kendall shot his ex-partner before taking his own life, and in September, a domestic violence-related shooting resulted in two fatalities in Little Havana.
While the prosecutor's determination ends the criminal review of the force used, it does not address whether all Sweetwater Police Department internal procedures were followed or potential administrative penalties for the officers involved.
Key Insights on the Sweetwater Shooting Incident
What was the outcome of the prosecutor's investigation?
The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office concluded that the officers' use of deadly force was legally justified, ending the criminal review of the case.
How was the situation described in the bodycam footage?
The footage shows officers repeatedly commanding Díaz to drop his knife. They issued the order eight times before resorting to gunfire.
Were there any other recent incidents of domestic violence in Sweetwater?
Yes, there have been other incidents, including a murder-suicide in Kendall and a double fatality in Little Havana related to domestic violence.