The Miami-Dade Police Department is pleased to announce that Officer Ernesto Rodriguez and Probationary Police Officer Alexander Angulo have been awarded the departmental Silver Medal of Honor and Lifesaving awards, and selected to share Distinguished Officer of the Month honors for January 2008.  Officer Rodriguez was working as the Field Training Officer with Officer Angulo, when this event occurred. 

On January 5, 2007, Mrs. Dulce Ortega-Ventura was involved in a heated dispute with her ex-husband, Mr. Mario Aloma.  Fearing for her safety, she decided to stay at her daughter’s house in southwest Dade County.  Later that evening, she was in the back yard conversing with her sister, Mrs. Belkis Ortega, when Mrs. Ortega-Ventura’s disgruntled ex-husband, Mr. Aloma, climbed over the perimeter wall of the yard with a machete in his hand.  Fearing for their lives, the women gathered three children they had been watching and ran inside the residence, locking the French doors behind them.  A neighbor heard the commotion and immediately alerted police.  As the frantic women and children raced up the stairs, Mr. Aloma shattered the glass of the locked door, while shouting that he was going to kill his ex-wife. 

While Officers Rodriguez and Angulo were responding, Belkis Ortega and the three children ran upstairs and locked themselves in one bedroom closet, as Mrs. Ortega-Ventura locked herself in another bedroom.  Mr. Aloma ran upstairs and approached the bedroom door where his ex-wife was located.  He began to destroy the door with his machete while shouting, “Now you are going to know who Mario Aloma is!  I’m going to kill you!” 

After destroying the door, Mr. Aloma was able to kick it off its hinges.  He approached his ex-wife, placed the machete on the bed, and began to beat her violently on her face with his closed fists.  Mrs. Ortega-Ventura started screaming, “He is going to kill me!” prompting Belkis and the three children to run and seek refuge across the street at a neighbor’s house.  Belkis Ortega frantically reported to her neighbor that Mr. Aloma was trying to kill her sister.  The neighbor called the police again.  

When Officers Rodriguez and Angulo arrived, the front door of the residence was wide open and the screams of a woman in distress quickly became evident.  As Mr. Aloma heard the officers approach, he grabbed his machete and pressed it to Ms. Ortega-Ventura’s abdomen while stating, “I’m going to kill you before the police can stop me!” 

Without hesitation, both officers approached the upstairs bedroom where they were confronted by the sight of Mr. Aloma holding a machete and physically restraining Mrs. Ortega-Ventura, who was bleeding.  After they identified themselves as Miami-Dade Police Officers, Mr. Aloma raised the machete in an effort to stab his ex-wife.  They gave loud verbal commands for Mr. Aloma to drop the machete, but he failed to obey, and made a threatening forward motion with the weapon.  With the machete still in hand, Mr. Aloma again refused to comply with lawful orders to drop the machete and tried to attack them.  The officers were forced to defend themselves and the victim by applying lethal force with their firearms.  Mr. Alamo was airlifted to a trauma center, but did not survive his injuries.

As a result of their decisive actions and outstanding valor, Officers Rodriguez and Angulo were able to save Mrs. Ortega-Ventura’s life, and prevent harm to themselves.  This case is a grim reminder of the dangers associated with police work, especially during recent months.  Though loss of any life is unfortunate, it is sometimes necessary to preserve the safety of our citizens.  Thanks to the efforts of these officers, a violent felony was thwarted while it was in progress. 

Prepared by:

Sandra G. Kramer
Media Relations Bureau