More details emerge about the two FBI agents who were shot dead when they came to look for an apartment in a child pornography case in Florida on Tuesday. FBI Director Christopher A. Wray identified the two murdered agents as Laura Schwartzenberger and Daniel Alfin, both specializing in the investigation of crimes against children.
Three other officers were injured during the shooting. The suspect also died.
The shootings marked one of the bloodiest days in FBI history in South Florida and also one of the deadliest nationwide, according to the FBI website. Schwartzenberger, a native of Pueblo, Colorado, is the third agent to die in the line of duty outside the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, CBS Denver reports.
Affiliated with CBS WPEC-TV
Schwartzenberger, 43, had been an FBI agent since December 2005 and worked at the Miami local office on a team of agents handling violent crimes against children, according to court records. His work focused primarily on tracking offenders who sexually exploit children online and investigating other crimes against children. Schwartzenberger survives a husband and two children, George Piro, who heads the FBI’s Miami office, told a news conference.
CBS affiliate WPEC-TV spoke with Schwartzenberg in 2018 to investigate sexual extortion. In 2013, he also spoke with CBS Miami about capturing people who exploit others, including children.
“Extortion is a form of exploitation in which the perpetrator uses coercion to obtain images or videos of sex, money or even sex of the victim. The victim may be an adult, may be a teenager or may be a child.” . she said.
Alfin, 36, who also investigated child exploitation cases, had previously worked at FBI headquarters handling important cases related to violent crimes against children, according to court records. He had a degree in information technology and went through the FBI’s specialized training programs in cybercrime. He participated in a major child exploitation investigation called Playpen that led to arrests around the world.
“It’s the same with any criminal offense,” Alfin said in 2017 about the Playpen case. “As they get smarter, we adapt, we find them. It’s a cat and mouse game, except it’s not a game. It’s abusing children and our job is to stop it.”
Alfin is survived by a wife and a son, Piro said.
Alfin’s brother is a sergeant in the Coral Springs police department and his sister-in-law is with Pembroke Pines PD, CBS Miami reported.
Alfin began his FBI career at the Albany FBI office in 2009 before leaving in 2014, CBS affiliate WRGB-TV reported. In a statement, Albany’s office said he was “heartbroken” and called Alfin an incredible agent.
After the shootings on Tuesday, police motorcycles with flashing lights escorted a fire rescue truck while carrying the body of one of the officers to the coroner’s office on the nearby beach in Dania. Police officers from numerous agencies lined up to respect them as a flag-covered body was removed from the vehicle and taken inside.
“Special Agent Alfin and Special Agent Schwartzenberger have exemplified heroism today in defense of their country,” Wray said in a statement. “The FBI will always honor his final sacrifice and will forever appreciate his courage.”
President Joe Biden offered his condolences during an immigration ceremony at the White House.
“They put their lives on the line and that’s a hell of a price to pay,” he said of the officers. “It hurts my heart for families.”