Man accused of shooting at a Miami-Dade officer tried to kill his drug dealer in 2020
One of two 19-year-old men accused of shooting at a Miami-Dade police officer this week was sentenced Wednesday to more than six years in state prison. Why? He tried to kill his drug dealer in 2020.
On Monday, Drequan Humes was arrested along with Travis Fernandez Jr. after Miami-Dade police say they shot at officers who were monitoring a group of armed men at a Miami Gardens house. According to their arrest reports, one of the bullets fired by Fernandez grazed a cop’s face.
They’re charged with attempted second-degree murder of a police officer. Humes is also charged with gun possession by a convicted felon. As of Wednesday afternoon, both remained behind bars at the county’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after pleading not guilty earlier in the day.
Not Humes’ first rodeo with police
This wasn’t the first time Humes was charged with attempted murder, police records reveal.
In 2020, a 15-year-old Humes fired a bullet that wounded two young adults — his marijuana dealers — in an effort to steal their drugs, according to an arrest report. Drug rips, a term police use when people steal from their suppliers, are a growing concern among law enforcement agencies.
Humes pleaded guilty in 2021. As part of his agreement with prosecutors, he had to go to a boot camp and wear an ankle monitor starting in January 2023, court records show. However, by March, authorities say Humes had cut off his ankle monitor — officially becoming a fugitive.
READ MORE: Miami-Dade police arrest two 19-year-old men after gunman shot officer in the face
Monday’s shooting landed Humes back in jail. A few days later, a judge on Wednesday sentenced him to more than six years behind bars for the 2020 attempted murder charge.
What led to the officer getting shot?
New details have also emerged about what transpired before the officer was grazed in the face by a bullet on Monday.
Around 10:30 a.m., Miami-Dade police officers were in the area of Northwest 154th Street and 19th Avenue monitoring a group of armed men — including Humes and Fernandez — in connection to a shooting investigation.
Authorities haven’t divulged much on that shooting probe, but court records show Humes also faces a separate charge of grand theft auto after his cousin told police he stole her rental car on March 29, according to an arrest report.
READ MORE: Five detained after Miami-Dade officer grazed by bullet in Miami Gardens, police say
Upon spotting the armed men in front of 1881 NW 154th St., officers say they drove up to see what was going on.
That’s when, police say, Humes and Fernandez starting firing at the police’s vehicles. A 29-year-old officer with seven years in the force was struck in the face, but has since been discharged from the hospital.
The men took off running, then a multi-agency manhunt ensued. Later that day, five men were detained for questioning. Of those, Humes and Fernandez were the only ones charged.
While Fernandez denied shooting at the Miami-Dade officers, police say Humes “provided a statement detailing his involvement in the shooting.” What Humes told investigators was redacted from his arrest report.
This article was updated Nov. 30 to note that a cousin of Humes accused him of stealing her rental car in March.
Miami Herald staff writer Grethel Aguila contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 22, 2023 at 5:08 PM.
