'Something Went Awfully, Awfully Wrong' Says Former FBI Agent On Shooting In Sunrise
SUNRISE (CBSMiami) – Investigators were still on the scene well into the night Tuesday after five FBI agents were shot while serving a warrant. Two agents lost their lives.
"This is a very dark day for the FBI," said Special Agent in Charge George Piro. "Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Laura Schwartzenberger were shot and killed in the line of duty."
It happened on Reflections Boulevard in the Water Terrace Apartment Community around 6 a.m. The agents were trying to serve a search warrant for evidence in a child pornography case.
"The vast majority of these warrants occur without incident, and the investigation continues," Special Agent Piro said. "The operation this morning in Sunrise ended tragically when the subject opening fire on members of the search team."
A source tells CBS4 the agents were shot through the door and never even made it into the apartment. The source says the suspect shot them with a high-powered rifle, and investigators found other weapons in the house.
The gunman barricaded himself inside, before ultimately shooting and killing himself, a source told our news partners at the Miami Herald. The FBI confirms, he is dead.
"As you know Miami has the history of the worst FBI shooting in history back in 1986," said Richard Kolko.
He's retired from the FBI after 21 years and now a reporter with CBS affiliate WINK-TV in Fort Myers.
"Getting that many agents caught up in the line of fire – something really went wrong, and they're going to break that all down," he said.
He explains meticulous planning goes into executing these warrants.
"It basically covers every contingency: radios, hospitals, route of entry, routes of egress, all kinds of things are going into a very complex plan," he said. "That has to be signed by a supervisor, or above, and then they execute the plan early in the morning. That's the best time to try to arrest someone, but clearly something went awfully, awfully wrong today."
Special Agent in Charge Piro said the surviving agents suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Two had to be taken to the hospital and are stable. The third was treated on the scene.
At this point, they have not released the identity of the suspect.
