MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) - Family members of the UPS driver who was killed during a police shootout in Miramar last year have now filed a lawsuit.
On Wednesday, the family of Frank Ordonez said they have filed a lawsuit against six police departments.
The departments listed in the lawsuit include the Miami-Dade Police Department, Doral Police Department, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Miramar Police Department, Pembroke Pines Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol.
Ordonez was killed in December of 2019 when police exchanged gunfire with two suspects who took him hostage after robbing a jewelry store in Coral Gables.
Two other victims were also caught in the crossfire, one who was left injured and another, 70-year-old Richard Cutshaw, who was fatally wounded.
Ordonez’s family said the police failed to negotiate with the robbers in an effort to avoid the use of force in an area where there were civilians.
Attorneys have released a statement reading in part, “We hope the Defendant-Police Departments will release copies of their Body Worn Camera Footage and patrol car radio transmissions. The Ordonez and Lara families – and the public – have the right to know what happened, and how law enforcement reacted on this tragic day.”
A spokesperson for the Broward Sheriff’s Office has since released a statement reading, “The allegations filed in the lawsuit incorrectly assert that the Broward Sheriff’s Office participated in the pursuit and apprehension of the suspects. Our Aviation Unit transported a patient to the hospital; however, no BSO deputies were involved in the very tragic incident. We continue to pray for peace for those who lost a loved one.”
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