MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) - The two FBI agents killed during a shooting in Sunrise while serving a court-ordered warrant worked to protect children from child predators, helped arrest hundreds of child predators and rescued dozens of children from human trafficking.
FBI Director Christopher Wray identified the two agents who were killed on Tuesday as Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger. Both were members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
“Dan and Laura left home this morning to carry out the mission they signed up for and loved to do: to keep the American people safe,” FBI Special Agent in Charge George Piro said. “They were valuable members of the FBI and will forever be heroes. We will always honor their ultimate sacrifice.”
Schwartzenberger, 43, was described as a victim’s advocate and a stellar agent who was assigned to the Miami outpost of the agency’s Innocent Images National Initiative. She had worked for the FBI since 2005. She also worked many sextortion cases.
“Sextortion is a form of sexual exploitation in which a perpetrator uses coercion to obtain sexual images or videos,” Schwartzenberger said in August 2020.
The 43-year-old also mentored students at Rockway Middle School in Miami. She was photographed teaching a lesson on cyber safety in October 2016.
“Laura was 43 years old,” Piro said. “She was assigned to FBI Miami in 2010 and has worked crimes against children cases for over seven years.”
Schwartzenberger is survived by her husband and two children.
— Rockway MS (@rmsfalcons) February 2, 2021
Alfin, 36, was assigned to the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Miami. He had been a special agent since 2009 and testified in federal court more than 20 times.
The 36-year-old was involved in several high-profile cases, such as the case of Rene Pedrosa, a former Miami mayoral aide accused of groping a teenager at city hall and exchanging lewd photos.
“Dan was 36 years old,” Piro said. “He has been assigned to FBI Miami since 2017 and has worked crimes against children violations for over six years.”
He was also involved in Operation Pacifier. The case arrested more than 900 child predators from around the world and rescued dozens of children from human trafficking.
Alfin is survived by his wife and child.
In a statement, Wray said the agents “exemplified heroism today in defense of their country. The FBI will always honor their ultimate sacrifice and will be forever grateful for their bravery.”
Flags at the FBI’s headquarters in Miramar fly at half-staff to honor the fallen agents.
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