Authorities in Florida released bodycam footage Friday of what police say is a shootout between three deputies and a Broward County Transit employee.
Sheriff Gregory Tony said at a news conference that the suspect, 59-year-old Rafael A. Molina, went into a locker room after work and changed into his regular clothes. Surveillance video then showed him holding a lunch box outside the locker room, Tony said.
“He’s just basically waiting,” Tony said of the footage. “What we are referencing as ambushing. Prepping to execute, [kill] one of his colleagues.” (RELATED: Bodycam Video Shows Knife-Wielding Man Rush At Cops Before Being Shot)
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Tony said that when one of Molina’s co-workers exited the locker room, Molina pulled a gun out of the lunchbox and shot the co-worker, identified as 42-year-old Warren H. Chambers, dead at point-blank range.
Check out the bodycam footage:
Shortly after the shooting, authorities got a 911 call from inside the facility, Tony said.
Surveillance video shows the suspect destroying his cell phone with a hammer before he strategically “placed himself in an ambush position inside of a bus that was vacant, being prepared, and waiting and waiting for our deputies or the next victim to cross his path,” Tony said at the press conference.
When Molina saw deputies arrive at the scene, he exited the bus and began firing at them, Tony said. The suspect got off six rounds before three deputies fired 49 shots back, killing Molina, according to Tony.
“Make no mistake, this is the only legitimate kill mission we have in law enforcement,” Tony said. “He made his mind up that he was going to die that day and kill as many people (as possible), including law enforcement.”
Tony praised the three officers as “courageous” and said he will award them the Medal of Honor.
Broward County authorities placed the three deputies who fired their weapons on administrative leave due to standard protocol, LOCAL 10 reported.
Authorities have yet to state if they’ve discovered a motive for the shooting, according to the outlet.