MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Miami police officer who was attacked when he tried to take an armed robbery suspect into custody last week remains in the Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Officer Jose Baez, 30, is recovering from brain surgery for a skull fracture.
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Police said Baez was injured on Friday, Jan. 4th, when he and his partner tried to arrest the suspect at the Best Western hotel on West Flagler Street.
The suspect, 33-year-old Victor Fernandez, who is also known as ‘Scarface’, escaped and Baez was taken to the hospital after the scuffle.
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“It was very traumatic for him, one of our brothers getting hurt, very traumatic, especially hearing he was rushed in for brain surgery,” Miami police Sergeant Tommy Reyes, President of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police.
“It’s very dangerous never knowing who we are dealing with, whether it is a good person, a law-abiding citizen, we love them, or someone who committed an armed robbery the day before like this person,” he added.
Fernandez was caught on Saturday and taken into custody but not before he head-butted another officer and tried to take his gun. Among the charges he’s facing is aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.
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Baez, a seven veteran of the department, is married and the couple has a young child.
