A public memorial service for a fallen Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy is currently underway at loanDepot Park following a somber procession and a private Mass for loved ones.
The service for MDSO Deputy Devin Jaramillo started at around 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, more than three hours after the hearse carrying his body left Caballero Funeral Home South surrounded by deputies on motorcycles.
7News cameras captured the moment law enforcement officers carried Jaramillo’s casket, draped in a U.S. flag, inside the stadium.
Among the brothers and sisters in blue who spoke about the 27-year-old deputy’s character was an officer from Coral Gables Police, where Jaramillo served for three years before joining MDSO.
“You were the kind of officer every partner hopes for: loyal, driven,” Coral Gables Police Officer said Melenni Alzate. “You faced every call with courage and every person with heart. You reminded me and everyone around you what this job truly means: service, sacrifice and love for the community we swore to protect.”
MDSO Sgt. Carlos Arguelles, Jaramillo’s uncle, described his nephew as a caring human being.
“He was a grand young man. Devin Matthew Jaramillo: a devoted son, brother, nephew, uncle, student, athlete, deputy, connoisseur and the sweetest, most genuine soul I’ve ever known,” he said.
The deputy’s mother, Yolanda Jaramillo, called him her pride and joy.
“There are no words for what it feels like to lose a child. My baby boy, mi macho lindo. Devin chose a life of service, a life of courage and a life centered around protecting others,” she said. “My son wore his badge with pride. I am proud of the man he became, proud of the officer he was, and I’m proud to be the one he called ‘Mommy.’”
Jaramillo’s father David also paid tribute to his son, who followed in his footsteps to become a law enforcement officer.
“Devin could have been – could have chosen any other path, but instead, he followed in my footsteps and became a protector, a guardian, committed to the greater good,” he said. “His acts of kindness and courage were just small fragments of his character.”
The emotional occasion comes hours after the motorcade left the funeral home and made its way to St. Matthew The Archangel Catholic Church, located near Southwest 27th Avenue and Flagler Street, where family members and friends of the 27-year-old gathered for the private Mass.
7Skyforce hovered above the hearse as Jaramillo’s casket was removed of the vehicle and taken inside the house of worship, as several dozen deputies stood in a respectful salute. While the service was held, MDSO deputies stood guard outside.
Once the Mass wrapped up, at around 9:15 a.m., the motorcade left for loanDepot Park for the larger public memorial service.
Earlier in the day, cameras captured an enhanced police presence outside the stadium, including K-9s and officers blocking off entrances.
Fire officials were also on hand to prepare the venue for the service. Cameras showed a giant U.S. flag hoisted atop two ladder trucks near the entrance to the stadium.
The public began parking at the stadium at around 7:30 a.m., and the doors opened about an hour later.
The service comes 11 days after Jaramillo was shot and killed when he responded to a traffic crash near a warehouse by Southwest 128th Street and 122nd Avenue in Southwest Miami-Dade.
Upon arrival, investigators said, Jaramillo and the gunman, identified as 21-year-old Steven Rustrian, got into a fight, and at one point the shooter disarmed the deputy and used his gun to shoot him.
Authorities said Rustrian went back to his own car and took his own life.
Despite the best efforts from first responders, Jaramillo would not survive.
Once it left the church, the funeral procession traveled north along Northwest 27th Avenue before arrving at Seventh Street. It then headed east to 17th Avenue and arrived at the stadium.
Organizers said the service was expected to draw close to 20,000 people.
After the ceremony ends, another procession is expected to cause significant impacts to traffic near loanDepot Park as it leaves for Jaramillo’s burial site. Drivers are advised to avoid the area if possible and seek alternate routes.
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