Florida police shot and killed a bus worker after he allegedly lay in wait and executed his colleague with a gun from his lunch box at a depot.
Bodycam footage released by authorities shows the intense gun battle between officers and the suspect last Wednesday at Broward Transit’s maintenance facility.
Rafael A. Molina, 59, reportedly pulled out his gun and fatally shot his colleague Warren H. Chambers, 42, before officers encountered them at the facility.
Molina then used a hammer to destroy his cellphone and ambushed himself in an empty bus, Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said during a news conference Friday.
Molina fired six times at the officers who ran toward the bus, and the officers responded by returning 49 shots.
Florida police shot and killed bus worker Rafael A. Molina, 59, after he allegedly lay in wait and executed his colleague with a gun from his lunchbox at a depot
Bodycam footage released by authorities shows the intense gun battle between officers and the suspect last Wednesday at Broward Transit’s maintenance facility
Molina, 59, reportedly pulled out his gun and fatally shot his colleague Warren H. Chambers (pictured), 42, when officers encountered them at the scene
The three officers involved in the shooting have been identified as Sgt. Noel Mercado, 44, Deputy Joseph Sherbo, 31, and Deputy Richard Delgaudio, 33.
When officers arrived at the Broward transit facility shortly after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, they were told a man had been shot and the gunman remained at large.
In the 911 calls released Friday, employees who witnessed the shooting described the scene to the dispatcher.
“There’s a shooting at my work at Broward Transit near Copans, please hurry, the man has a gun, he’s shooting,” a witness said during a call.
“He’s still here, he’s still 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 fatally shot one of his colleagues before officers contacted him,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Veda Coleman Wright said.
The bodycam footage shows one of the officers storming into the facility and running towards a bus
Molina used a hammer to destroy his cell phone and ambushed himself in an empty 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 type of argument or dispute.”
“We have reviewed the video footage and the suspect, as we can see, is formulating, thinking and further planning as to what his next move would be.”
“We see the individual going into some locker room, changing, now wearing civilian clothes and basically just waiting. What we’re talking about is ambushing him,” Tony said Friday.
“He retrieved the firearm from the lunch box and as the victim comes out of the room, he executes the victim, fires multiple shots at point blank range and lays the victim down,” Tony said.
The bodycam footage shows one of the officers storming into the facility and running towards a bus.
‘We saw him take out a hammer and smash his mobile phone. We saw him walk and strategically ambush himself in an empty bus,” Tony said.
In the video, gunshots can be heard as one of the officers approached the bus and shouted, “Wait a minute! Delay! Delay!’
Chambers was a mechanic at the transit facility and 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 as the investigation continues.
When the gunfire stopped, a deputy shouted, “He’s down!”
‘It is crystal clear that he is waiting. “He waited for quite some time 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 as the investigation continues.
“I plan on giving all three of them the Medal of Honor, it’s the most courageous thing I’ve ever seen,” Tony said.
Both Molina and Chambers were technicians at the transit facility. Molina had worked at the facility for 16 years and Chambers had worked for six years.
The incident happened Wednesday at the end of their shift, where Broward County Transit buses are maintained 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 workers.”
“Let us keep their memories in our thoughts and prayers as we cope with this terrible loss.”