Detective Maury Hernandez - shot - prayers for him and his family

[.cheese.]

I searched a couple times in the last few hours to see if this had been posted yet. Either my search isn't turning it up, or it hasn't.

South Floridians likely have heard, but others may have not, that today a tragedy took place, sadly a couple miles from where I post this.

here is the story:

Outside the emergency room entrance, there were hugs and tears. Broward Sheriff's deputies embraced as Hollywood officers stood by the doors. There were men and women in uniform, detectives in dress shirts, plainclothes officers wearing brown vests that said "Sheriff" and "ICE."

Along the street outside Memorial Regional Hospital, there were Sheriff's Office cruisers from Dania Beach, Oakland Park, Pompano Beach and Port Everglades, police cars from Coral Springs and Hallandale Beach.

On this blue Monday, all police were family.

As Broward Sheriff's Detective Maury Hernandez clung to life, on a ventilator after being shot in the head, colleagues converged to offer whatever support they could.

It's an unwritten rule of the job: When one goes down, they all show up.

In this case, one who showed up was a Hallandale Beach police rookie who literally was family.

Josue Hernandez worked his first shift on Saturday. He is 23, fresh out of the police academy.

"He wanted to take after his older brother," said Hallandale Beach Police Chief Thomas Magill. "Josue looks up to him so much. He said Maury's the strongest guy he knows."

By Monday evening, all Josue could do was kneel down at his brother's bedside and pray.

"It's a catastrophic wound," Sheriff Ken Jenne said at the hospital. "If recovery comes, it's going to be a long, long haul."

Maury Hernandez, 28, joined the Sheriff's Office in 2002. Jenne described him as one of those gung-ho young deputies who went out of his way to do his job. The kind who'd pull over a motorcyclist before his shift began if he saw something wrong.

Magill said he met Maury Hernandez a few times, because Hernandez had worked the West Park district that borders Hallandale Beach for a few years. He said he was happy to hire his younger brother, because he knew the family was "solid."

Magill came to the hospital Monday afternoon to offer his support. So did Hallandale Beach Commissioner Bill Julian, who came to donate a pint of blood.

Magill said the Hernandez brothers grew up in Hialeah, of Cuban descent, with a father who owned a business and a mother who taught at a Hialeah elementary school.

Hernandez's wife, family and friends rushed to the hospital after the shooting, which happened on Pembroke Road just before noon.

Jenne said Hernandez was driving an unmarked car to an undercover operation when he stopped a motorcyclist for an unspecified traffic violation.

"A normal traffic stop," Jenne said.

But, if the past few years have taught us anything, it's that no traffic stop is routine. Last November, Deputy Brian Tephford was shot and killed during a traffic stop in a Tamarac apartment complex, where he worked an off-duty detail.

And in February 2006, Deputy Ryan Seguin was killed when he was accidentally struck by a passing motorist during a traffic stop on the shoulder of Interstate 595.

On Monday, the motorcyclist allegedly fired a Glock .45 into the right side of Hernandez's head after being pulled over. Hollywood police say they caught him after he ran through the Hillcrest Golf & Country Club and allegedly attempted to carjack an SUV in a parking lot.

Even though the shooting technically took place in Hollywood (the north side of Pembroke Road is Hollywood, the south side is Sheriff's Office jurisdiction), Hollywood police spokesman Tony Rode said the department turned over the investigation to the Sheriff's Office because of the circumstances.

On days like these, all the usual turf battles and interdepartmental politics disappear.

On a blue Monday like this, as tears and a hard rain fell outside the emergency room doors, everyone wearing a badge was family.

From: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-flbmayocol0807nbaug07,0,1621457.column

I have multiple family members on staff at the hospital where Mr. Hernandez is currently and from what I've heard, it doesn't look good.

He and his family are in my prayers and I hope that fellow THR members will say a prayer for him.

A lot of THR members get down on LE officers for some reason. I simply ask that we all remember that these men and women put their lives on the line daily in the ultimate interest of making our communities a better place.

I also would like to urge any officers that are THR members to read an article in the July 2007 issue of Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement by Matt Berger entitled: Traffic Stop Do's and Don'ts. It ironically covered this very topic and for all I know it may save a life, so I wanted to mention it. I would scan it, but I'm afraid I'd be violating copyright law. (btw - I don't work for the magazine or its publisher - just for the record).

Anyways, again I ask that we all say a prayer for Mr. Hernandez and hope for the best. Despite what we all know about ballistics and what I've heard from hospital staff, we can all hope.

 

[Bob F.]

Prayers sent, repeatedly.............

 

[hankdatank1362]

Prayers to the family.

And I second Matt Berger as an excellent choice in real-world law enforcement writing. He sticks to the basics, and explains them fully.

 

[The-Fly]

Yeah I heard about this over on Glock Talk, sucks all the way around. Hopefully the officer recovers.

 

[Houston Tom]

he and his family are in our prayers

 

[Bones11b]

Everyone at my office was talking about this today as it is in our neck of the woods and we do alot of work with the Broward County Sheriffs Dept. Hope he pulls thru, my prayers go out to him and his loved ones.

 

[AndyC]

All the best

 

[Mannlicher]

Its a tough job, with virtually no thanks given.

Prayers sent for Maury and his family

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

Thought and prayers.

At least they caught that scumbag.

 

[Well-Armed Lamb]

All prayers for Detective Fernandez and his family.

Seems to me that a lot of the shootings of LEOs I've read of in the news lately have occurred during traffic stops. Not the shootouts or apprehensions of dangerous felons, but just walking up to the car.

 

[brandibelle]

Fact...

I have seen patients with similar injuries survive. The quality of life appeared to be pretty darn good to me. I am quite hopeful, actually. I am on staff at MRH. I can't disclose any info, but I will say... On Tuesday, I didn't believe that he would survive. Wednesday, I was alot more hopeful. Today, I totally believe that he will survive. And I think he'll do well. I will pray.

 

[BMO]

I went to high School with Maury, but never really socialized with him. Even though I didn’t know him, he did make an impression on me. He was always positive, and honestly a man of integrity (a word he often used).

Our High School has a “tradition” of announcing the students GPA in our Auditorium. Grades 7 – 12 would all gather in here. They would basically call on A and B average students to stand for recognition. Every grade but the senior boys followed suit. When the B average boys were called, none of them stood up (including me), but when Maury was called, he stood with a big old grin across his face. I honestly can’t remember if anyone followed his Example, but I gained a lot of respect for him that day.

I haven’t prayed in a long time, but for Maury I can spare the time.

 

[Rich K]

Prayers for Officer Hernandez and his family.

 

[TacoMalo]

Our prayers are with the Hernandez family.

 

[JR719]

I'll keep him in my thoughts and hope for the best. Fight hard brother in blue.....