A street in West Kendall was renamed in a somber and emotional ceremony Monday to honor fallen Miami-Dade Police officer Cesar ‘Echy’ Echaverry Jr. who was shot and killed in August while trying to arrest a robbery suspect.
Southwest 162nd Avenue, near John A. Ferguson High School where Echaverry was a student, is now officially known as “Ofc. Cesar ‘Echy’ Echaverry Jr. Way."
Miami-Dade County leaders and state representatives, including Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, were in attendance along with Echaverry’s parents and fiancée.
The ceremony drew dozens of law enforcement officers and even a flyover from police helicopters.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
The Ferguson High School baseball team also attended the ceremony at the corner of Southwest 56th Street and Southwest 162nd Avenue. Echaverry once played baseball for the same team.
REMEMBERING 'ECHY'
The officer’s fiancée, Stephanie Vargas, spoke during the ceremony holding back tears.
“The street itself is extremely meaningful as it was the main way to his daily routines, gym, church, my house. His life was truly remarkable,” said Vargas. “His death left us all with an emptiness that no memorial could ever fill. Today’s dedication will never ease the pain of his passing, we’ll remember him every day and do everything we can to honor his memory.”
Echaverry’s fellow brothers and sisters from the MDPD Robbery Intervention Detail which he volunteered for were also at the ceremony.
“It’s tough to sit here at these ceremonies picturing your families sitting here. He was a great representation of our unit, he embodied all the characteristics that we look for in a great robbery intervention detail detective,” said fellow MDPD Officer Justin Heller.
Miami-Dade County Commissioners Roberto González and Kionne McGee sponsored the legislation that paved the way for the street naming.
