Jan 15, 2008 6:24 pm US/Eastern
Suspect In Miami Police Murder In Custody
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Andrew James "Birdman" Rolle in the murder of Miami police detective James Walker
North Miami Beach police
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Police released this photograph of a weapon found on the scene of James Walker's murder
CBS
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This is the flyer distributed to police across South Florida regarding the arrest warrant for Andrew Rolle, the accused triggerman in the murder of Miam police detective James Walker.
CBS
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Miami Police officer James Walker, shot in North Miami in his unmarked car while off-duty.
Walker Family/CBS
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Attempted murder charges against Ricardo Ajuste, 21, have been dropped.
MIAMI POLICE DEPT./CBS
A week after a Miami Police detective was gunned down outside a North Miami Beach apartment building police have taken the suspected shooter in custody.
Miami Police said they received a call Monday night from a woman who said Andrew James Rolle, the suspect wanted in the murder of Detective James Walker, was sitting next to her inside her red pick-up truck which was driving in the vicinity of the Miami Police headquarters.
Miami police officer Eric Guzman, who carried out the arrest, spoke about it in the press conference.
"I spot the vehicle, I get behind it, at which point I spot the subject attempting to get out of the window," said Guzman. "At that time I exit my vehicle, tell him not to run, and took him into custody."
Even though Rolle tried to get away, Guzman said the arrest was carried out without anyone getting hurt.
Commenting on the arrest, Miami Police Chief John Timoney said he was happy with the police work in the case so far.
Monday afternoon, North Miami Beach Police held a joint news conference to announce Rolle as the suspected shooter and clear a man they had taken into custody earlier.
"We have identified the killer who shot and assassinated detective James Walker from the City of Miami. The gentleman's name is Andrew James Rolle," announced North Miami Beach police Chief Raphael Hernandez during a Monday afternoon news conference before his arrest.
Rolle appeared in bond court on Tuesday, where he advised the judge he had no money for an attorney.
Rolle, believed to be from the local area, sometimes goes by the nicknames "Birdman," "Black," and "Slugs," Hernandez added.
Police say the 20-year-old Rolle had been arrested 4 days before Walker's murder on misdemeanor loitering and prowling charges but was released on $500 bail.
Originally, police suspected 21-year old Ricardo Ajuste, a known gang member, in Walker's murder. Ajuste described as a "major player" in North Miami Beach's "One Way Gang", was charged with two counts of attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a man and woman inside a black Impala in a fit of jealous rage. That shooting allegedly took place in the same North Miami Beach alley where detective Walker was found shot dead.
During Monday's police news conference, Miami-Dade Assistant State Attorney Abbe Rifkin, the lead prosecutor in this case, said that Ajuste was no longer considered a shooter and was 'not culpable' in the case. All charges were dropped against him and he was released from jail just before 4 p.m. Monday.
Ajuste will be a witness for the state and represented by the public defender's office.
The new theory is that Rolle had gone to the alley to shoot a man in a dispute over a gun. After shots were fired, Rolle spotted Walker in his white Taurus and believed it was a friend of his waiting in a similar car. Investigators believe when Rolle started to get into Walker's car, he realized he had the wrong vehicle. Investigators said Walker did manage to unholster his Glock service weapon and fire one shot in self-defense but a Glock is simply no match against Rolle's AK-47 assault rifle which was found on the scene.
Monday afternoon, CBS4 spoke with Walker's father, James Walker Sr. who said he was hoping his son's murder would be caught soon.
"I hope they get the person who did this. It would mean a lot," James Walker Sr. told D'Oench. He went on, "I would really feel better if they get the person who killed James."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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