Bullet missed Doral cop’s heart by 2 inches. He’s recovering from training accident

It could have been much worse for the Doral police sergeant, who was accidentally shot in the chest during a training exercise Wednesday. The bullet pierced a lung and broke some bones but miraculously missed the officer’s heart by only two inches, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the incident.

Police patrol Sgt. Eric Fernandez, an 11-year veteran and field training supervisor, was moved from intensive care into a room at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Thursday and is recovering.

His wife, in a statement to WSVN Channel 7, said the family “appreciates the love and support we’ve received.”

Doral Police spokesman Rey Valdes said the officer is married, has a child and that his wife is expected to give birth again soon.

Fernandez was shot during an exercise that was not supposed to include real guns or live ammunition. He was not wearing a vest and was injured during an activity in which rookies were being trained. Police are supposed to use rubber guns and bullets in that scenario, a point that didn’t escape the Doral police chief.

“I would like to know how it happened in order to avoid any circumstance like this in the future,” said Doral Police Chief Hernan Organvidez. The chief said officers in the department were “shaken up” and called the accident “a heavy burden” on the entire staff.

Doral police have not released the name of the officer who shot Fernandez or his status. The incident is being investigated by Miami-Dade Police.

Fernandez, 29, was taking part in a firearms exercise in a building in the back section of the Miami-Dade Public Training Institute at 9601 NW 58th St., just after 9:30 a.m. when he was shot. He was part of a squad that was working in a “Shoot House,” where police practice entries and searches in a structure where it’s difficult to see around corners and into rooms.

Most of the Doral training site, which includes video for active shooter scenarios and a small made up town with street names and fake commercial buildings, is owned by Miami-Dade police. It’s commonly used by other agencies to train there. The building in the back of the facility where Fernandez was shot, is owned by the FBI.

Only Doral police officers were involved in Wednesday’s accident.

This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 3:29 PM.