Palmetto Shooter Pleads Guilty To Opening Fire On Highway

MIAMI, FL — An emotionally disturbed gunman pleaded guilty to opening fire on one of Miami-Dade County's busiest highways last year with an AK-47 pistol and a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun during a 2017 Memorial Day rampage. Appearing before a Miami judge on Thursday, Horvin Ruiz acknowledged that he fired more than 108 rounds at fellow motorists, including a pregnant woman and her three young children. No one was seriously injured during the attack but traffic was shut down for hours.

"Is there anything about the plea that you do not understand or accept," asked Judge Stacy D. Glick.

Ruiz responded, "no mam" as he shook his head from side to side.

Attorney Josh Howard who represented Ruiz, told reporters that his client has battled mental illness his entire life. "My client self-admitted to the hospital a week prior to this," Howard said.

Ruiz was sentenced to 18 years in state prison with a 10-year minimum mandatory sentence followed by two years of community control and 10 years of reporting probation, according to Ed Griffith of the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.

Ruiz began shooting at motorists as he drove along the southbound lanes of the Palmetto Expressway and then got into a brief gun battle with police before surrendering on the same highway where he allegedly opened fire.

The incident began at 1:20 a.m. on Memorial Day near NW 74th Street. The Palmetto is also known as State Road 826.

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Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez praised the "quick action" of his officers at the time of the arrest, saying "tragedy was averted."

Police said Ruiz lost control of his red Corolla at one point and slammed into a center concrete barrier. He then turned his vehicle around going north on the southbound lanes and once again lost control, striking a side concrete barrier.

Ruiz got into a brief exchange of gunfire with Miami-Dade police and officers from the Florida Highway Patrol and city of Doral Police Department.

"There was an exchange of gunfire where the subject then stopped shooting and officers were able to apprehend the subject without any further incident," Miami-Dade police said at the time.

No one was wounded by gunfire in the attack but two cars were struck by bullets and one man was hit by flying debris. The victim was identified as Enrique Jose Bendana. Bendana was taken to Kendall Regional Hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue with a minor injury to the head. In addition to Bendana, police listed seven other victims, who were not injured.

When Ruiz turned his vehicle around on the highway, it caused a 2015 Honda Odyssey to crash into his Corolla. The Odyssey was carrying the Wang family, which included a pregnant woman and her three young children, ages 2, 4 and 6.

"The defendant exited his vehicle and began discharging an AK-47 pistol with 7.62 mm rounds at victim Wang's vehicle, striking it multiple times with no regard for victim Wang or his pregnant wife and children," court documents said.

The documents said that other vehicles quickly caught up to the crash scene and came under fire as well.

"Other vehicles quickly approached and were met by the defendant who pointed the AK-47 pistol at them and discharged his firearm striking their vehicles." the documents said.

Photo of Horvin Ruiz courtesy Miami-Dade Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation