The two were killed in an apartment complex under a federal search warrant. Three other officers were injured, two of whom were transported to the hospital and have already been discharged. The shooting suspect died on the spot and the FBI said the investigation is ongoing.
The agents were known for their exemplary efforts in the field, reducing child abuse with their investigative work and educating students about the dangers of sexual crimes.
“Our chosen profession is fraught with dangers. Today, this bleak reality has taken two of the best out of our family,” said Piro.
Alfin played a key role in an ‘unprecedented’ child exploitation investigation
Alfin, 36, was a native of New York and began his FBI career at the Albany, New York office in 2009. He was assigned to the Miami office in 2017, investigating crimes against children.
According to federal court documents, Alfin said he was “recognized as an expert in the federal court in areas related to computer forensics and the investigation of child exploitation crimes”.
The documents add that he testified on more than 20 occasions as a witness, in more than 10 federal jurisdictions.
Alfin played a critical role in a massive investigation that led to hundreds of arrests for child pornography, according to a 2017 FBI statement.
Officials at the time declared, “The case – and the thousands of follow-up investigations it launched – is unprecedented in scope and scope.”
The case involved “Playpen”, described by the authorities as a “highly sophisticated global company dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children, organized through an exclusive member website that operated on the dark web”.
The investigation by Alfin and his team resulted in the arrest of at least 350 people based in the United States, prosecutions against 25 child pornography producers, the arrest of 51 “assailants” and the identification or rescue of 55 American children, the FBI said .
Abroad, the investigation resulted in 548 arrests and the identification or rescue of 296 sexually abused children, the FBI said.
“It’s the same with any criminal violation: as they get smarter, we adapt, we find them,” he said. “It is a game of cat and mouse, except that it is not a game. Children are being abused and it is our job to prevent this.”
In 2018, Alfin was honored as part of the team involved in the case, and then Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein spoke warmly of the award winners.
“Today’s honorees have earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they have earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens – the people whose communities you have made safer, whose lives you have improved and whose confidence you have rewarded. Today, we take a break to honor and recognize a small part of your work, “said Rosenstein.
Alfin leaves his wife and son, the FBI said.
Schwartzenberger worked with school children to keep them safe
Schwartzenberger, born in Pueblo, Colorado, joined the FBI in 2005 and was assigned to the Albuquerque, New Mexico office. She has worked at the Miami office since 2010, according to the bureau.
She has worked on child crime cases for more than seven years, the FBI said.
“It is very traumatic for the victim,” Schwartzenberger told WPEC. “Their reputation is at stake.”
This form of blackmailing criminals includes “cases where they broke into the victim’s computer and broke into the person’s camera. That’s where they got images or videos,” she said.
Schwartzenberger worked in the community to educate schoolchildren on how to protect themselves and others online, as noted by Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
“As an FBI agent, Laura taught our students every year about the dangers of social media and more. She always said, ‘I feel like coming here and talking about difficult things means that I won’t see you at my end.’
“With their presentations, students would gain knowledge about online safety, cyberbullying and experience the process of responding to evidence from an FBI agent.
“She always answered all students’ questions directly with care, but with firmness, to always remind them of the real world.”
She leaves her husband and two children, the FBI said.
“Laura was a light in this world. A true warrior, a longtime CrossFitter, a wise woman, a wonderful mother and loved by our CrossFit VICE community, ”said her organizer on the page.
A community in shock
The crime scene tape at which the shooting took place was still high on Wednesday, as officers gathered additional evidence. The entrance to the complex remained guarded by the police.
The full details of what happened remain unknown at this time, but it was revealed that the search warrant was related to the suspected possession of child pornography, according to the FBI Agents’ Association.
The suspect had barricaded himself at his residence, according to Sunrise police. The exact circumstances that led to the exchange of shots are not yet known, which, according to the FBI, resulted in the deaths of Alfin and Schwartzenberger by the suspect.
To safely rescue the other injured policemen, a SWAT vehicle had to collide with the building to provide cover, said a police source familiar with the shooting, on condition of anonymity.
Some nearby residents, including Jorge Castillo, do not believe that the deaths happened so close to their homes. Castillo has lived in the complex for five years, alongside families with children and also police officers, he said.
The 76-year-old man found the scene worrying. “It worries us,” said Castillo, noting that officials were still discouraging residents from leaving their homes and moving around the complex.
William Beller, the president of the local chapter of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, told CNN on Wednesday that the association is supporting agents who still work at the crime scene, and is also looking after the families of Alfin and Schwartzenberger.
Speaking outside the apartment complex where the shooting took place, he and his colleague brought lunch to the officers who worked on the scene. He said the leftovers would be donated to a local shelter, as times were difficult for everyone.
When asked by CNN how the families were doing, his voice shook when he said, “The families are in mourning.”
He added: “We are all brothers and sisters in law enforcement.” Overwhelmed by emotion, he said, “All I know is that I was able to hug my children today” and left in tears.
CNN’s Rosa Flores, Sara Weisfeldt, Jason Hanna, Amanda Watts, Shawn Nottingham, Jamiel Lynch and Christina Carrega contributed to this report.