Police shoot man at Trump resort
Intruder fired gun inside Doral hotel
An armed man shouting rhetoric against President Donald Trump fired a handgun inside the Trump National Doral golf resort, in what authorities described as a type of ambush attack, before he was arrested early Friday.
Jonathan Oddi, 42, of Doral, was stopped by five police officers who shot at his legs, a police chief said.
The golf resort in MiamiDade County is owned by Trump’s privately held company; the president wasn’t there during the 1:30 a.m. incident.
Oddi, a Doral resident, was hospitalized and was in good condition Friday afternoon. The only other reported injury was to a Doral police officer who may have broken his wrist.
A police chief said officers were called after Oddi reportedly pointed a handgun at staff and began shooting. Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez said Oddi appparently wanted to “engage our police officers — some type of ambush-type attack — trying to lure our police officers.”
An officer from MiamiDade police and four officers from Doral Police responded to the hotel, at Northwest 36th Street and 87th Avenue, All five exchanged gunfire with Oddi, Perez said.
Eric Trump, the president’s son and executive vice president of the Trump organization, tweeted early Friday, “A huge thank you to the incredible men and women” of the departments, adding that “every day they keep our community safe.”
The police agencies train together, and Perez credited that collaboration with a prompt end to the situation. Hotel employees and guests were able to get away, police said.
The police officers who fired their weapons were not identified.
Oddi’s intentions beyond wanting to start a gunfight were not known, Perez said.
Rae Shearn, a criminal defense attorney and former chief state prosecutor, said she is representing Oddi, but it was too early to say much.
“I don’t have all the facts,” Shearn said. “I don’t know what could have precipitated the event and I don’t know what happened during the event. We’re investigating and should have a clearer picture sometime next week.”
Before the shooting began, Oddi removed an American flag from a pole at the rear of the complex, brought it into the hotel lobby and draped it over a counter, Perez said.
Oddi then began to yell out “anti-Trump” rhetoric.
What Oddi said was not yet known. He also set off a fire alarm “in efforts to cause further confusion,” police said.
“As he did that, he waited for our police officers,” Perez said. “He did begin to shoot inside the lobby, which prompted calls and curiosity from some of the people in the lobby. They were met with an individual with a handgun, who pointed it at them and proceeded to fire it into the roof and chandeliers of the hotel.
“He waited for our police officers in the front lobby to engage them,” Perez said.
The officers exchanged gunfire with Oddi. “Our officers came up, engaged in practiced protocol and training, immediately went in and neutralized him.”
The incident was recorded on video that Perez said would not be released right away.
Television news recorded the conscious suspect, handcuffed and barefoot on a gurney as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue wheeled him into Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami. Oddi had gunshot wounds in his legs, Perez said.
Court records in MiamiDade and Broward counties show no felony arrests for Oddi; he had several misdemeanor traffic offenses.
David Jiminian said he lives in Cordoba Phase II, the same complex where Oddi resides. Crime-scene tape marked off a driveway to the community and police cars were parked outside. Jiminian said he has seen Oddi entering and leaving his garage but has never spoken with him. He said Oddi drove a new tan Jeep Renegade.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Jiminian said. “It’s scary that it’s so close to home.”
Outside Oddi’s apartment, Luis David Gonzalez was bringing breakfast to Oddi, his gym buddy, unaware that Oddi was in custody and accused of causing mayhem at the resort.
“He’s a regular guy,” Gonzalez said about his friend of more than a decade. “I’m surprised he did that.”
Asked whether Oddi was angry about the president, the government or talked about weapons, Gonzalez said no.
“Why he should have opinions about Trump?” Gonzalez said. “He’s the president of the United States. He’s the right guy for the job. We just talk about the gym, that’s it.”
The two men work out seven days a week at an L.A. Fitness. Oddi was born in South Africa and grew up in Argentina, where his family lives, according to Gonzalez.
“He got me in shape,” Gonzalez said of Oddi.
He described his friend as an entertainer and dancer but would not say where he performed.
Oddi didn’t want to go to the gym Thursday and stayed home with his dog, Bobo. Gonzalez said Friday he was checking up on him and brought him eggs and coffee.
“Yesterday he was feeling bad,” Gonzalez said, declining to elaborate.
“He told me he was feeling bad, that’s what he told me, but I never thought he was gonna do something like that,” Gonzalez said. “Basically I cannot discuss what’s wrong with him. I’m just his friend.”
Shearn, Oddi’s lawyer, said she could confirm only that Oddi was interested in bodybuilding and body sculpting.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will, as per standard practice, investigate the shootings by the officers.