Miami Police Department, Florida
End of Watch: Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 8, 2008
Weapon Used: Rifle; AK-47
Suspect Info: Convicted of murder
Detective James Walker was shot and killed when he attempted to take police action while off duty.
Detective Walker had gotten off duty approximately two hours earlier. He was parking his unmarked department vehicle near Northeast 164th Street and 18th Avenue in North Miami Beach when a suspect attempted to enter it. The suspect, who had gone to the area to commit another shooting, had mistaken the car for that of his accomplice's, who was driving an identical make and model.
When the suspect realized it was not his accomplice's car, he and Detective Walker exchange gunfire. Detective Walker was fatally wounded.
The suspect fled the scene and remained at large until being apprehended in front of the Miami Police Department headquarters one week later. The suspect was convicted of first-degree murder on October 8th, 2014 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was additionally sentenced to serve 50 years for two unrelated armed robberies.
Detective Walker had served with the Miami Police Department for eight years and was assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit.