Three days after he collapsed during a physical agility test for his agency’s SWAT team tryouts, Davie (FL) Police Officer Rogerio Morales succumbed to his injuries on Thursday January 13, 2011.
According to officials, autopsy results indicating an exact cause of death have not yet been released, but the 27-year-old officer, described as “very physically fit,” is thought to have had a fatal heart attack.
After his sudden collapse, a paramedic administered first aid at the scene, and Officer Morales was taken to a hospital for treatment. He remained in a coma for three days until his death.
Officer Rogerio Morales is survived by his wife, whose moving words at her husband’s service touched hundreds of mourners in attendance. "I still remember our routine each night. I kissed you good night and tapped you on the stomach to make sure you were wearing your vest," she said. "Now I stand in our bedroom alone and hear nothing but silence. I pray to God and hope to understand one day why you are gone."
Fifteen years after he was struck by a car while chasing a hit-and-run suspect, Dallas (TX) Police Officer Kevin Marceau died from injury-related medical complications on Friday January 14, 2011.
The evening of November 13, 1996, Officer Marceau witnessed a traffic collision near Garland Road in northeast Dallas. When a suspect involved in the accident began to flee, Officer Marceau followed in pursuit. During the chase, he began crossing the road, when suddenly a vehicle hit and severely wounded him.
Rushed to the hospital, Officer Marceau endured copious surgeries and remained in a coma for several weeks. After an extensive hospital stay, he left the Dallas (TX) Police force on medical disability in 1998.
Officer Marceau was unable to communicate and remained in a wheelchair for fifteen years, until passing away from the long-term brain trauma at age 47. Out of 10 total law enforcement fatalities thus far in January 2011, Officer Marceau is the second Texas fatality.
The seven-year Dallas (TX) Police Department veteran also served in the Texas Army National Guard, the United States Air Force, and participated in Operation Desert Storm. He is survived by his son, parents, and four siblings.
Lakewood (NJ) Patrolman Christopher Matlosz, 27, made the ultimate sacrifice the afternoon of Friday January 14, when he was fatally shot while patrolling a residential area—the scene of numerous recent drive-by shootings.
At approximately 4:00 pm, Patrolman Matlosz drove up to a man on the street and began talking to him. Abruptly, the suspect removed a handgun from his person then released three shots directly at Patrolman Matlosz, inside his vehicle. Authorities said the five-year Lakewood (NJ) Police veteran was slain before he could grip his service weapon and return fire. “This community has been crushed,” Lakewood (NJ) Police Chief Robert Lawson said.
On Sunday morning (January 16), after an aggressive manhunt, authorities identified the 19-year-old suspect—Jahmell W. Crockam—at an apartment sixty miles from the crime scene. The suspect was detained and charged with murder and unlawful weapon possession; he is being held for $5 million bail.
Out of eight officer fatalities in the first month of the New Year, five have been due to gunfire. Patrolman Matlosz, who was engaged to be married, is the first law enforcement officer mortally shot on duty in Ocean County, as well as the fourth officer to be killed by gunfire in January 2011.
Wedding plans suddenly became funeral arrangements, and traumatized loved ones pulled together to appropriately honor Patrolman Matlosz. Hundreds of family members, friends, fellow officers, and members of the community gathered to mourn the overwhelming loss.
Baltimore City (MD) Police Officer William H. Torbit, Jr. was fatally shot by police gunfire on Sunday January 9, 2011. Dressed in plainclothes, Officer Torbit responded to a disturbance call at a night club on North Paca Street.
At approximately 1:15 am, Officer Torbit broke up a physical altercation with several females outside the club, when a group of men began attacking him. During the ensuing struggle, Officer Torbit drew his service weapon. Responding uniformed officers—unaware Officer Torbit was a police officer—shot and killed him.
Officer Torbit, 33, was wearing his badge but had no other indicators that he was a law enforcement officer. Apparently, his badge was either not visible or ripped off during the violent conflict. Another man was shot and killed, and four other people, including a police officer, were injured during the struggle. The officers who fired are on administrative leave.
Presently, four officers have been killed in 2011—one from Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, and Texas—in January 2011. Officer Torbit is the first law enforcement officer killed by accidental gunfire, and the third officer killed by a gunshot in the first month of the New Year.
One of nine children, officials and friends praised the “dedicated public servant” and “family man,” who spent eight years as a Baltimore City (MD) Police Officer.
Fort Bend County (TX) Deputy Sheriff John Norsworthy died on Tuesday January 4, 2011, succumbing to injuries suffered during an automobile accident that occurred eight days prior.
Deputy Norsworthy was in the midst of responding to a fellow officer’s request for assistance at a traffic stop, when his patrol car flipped and struck a tree. Rescue crews were unable to extract him from the vehicle for almost an hour, during which time he writhed in pain.
Flown to a nearby hospital, Deputy Norsworthy remained in critical condition, until he ultimately yielded to his injuries. The 39-year-old Deputy had been with the Fort Bend County (TX) Sheriff’s Office for two years and previously served with the Rosenberg (TX) Police Department.
Deputy Norsworthy is the second law enforcement officer to die in January 2011, and the first traffic-related officer fatality. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. “We have lost one of our finest. The world’s a little darker place but the heavens have a new shining star,” said Fort Bend County (TX) Chief Deputy K.C. Brady.
Just one week in to the New Year, two law enforcement officers have been shot and killed. Rainier (OR) Police Chief Ralph Painter was killed by a fatal gunshot wound to the head on Wednesday, January 5.
Chief Painter responded to a call reporting a car theft at a strip mall at approximately 10:45 am. Police said Chief Painter struggled with the 21-year-old suspect—Daniel A. Butts—who allegedly fired a gunshot that struck Chief Painter in the head and killed him.
Injured by a police bullet, Butts was sent to a Portland hospital before being transferred to Columbia County jail this afternoon on aggravated murder charges. The suspect’s alleged actions were described as completely out of character by those who know him. His shocked family members describe him as a “normal kid in a small town.”
The killing of Chief Painter, 55, stunned the Oregon town of 1,800 located along the Columbia River. Chief Painter is the first officer to die on duty in Rainier since the establishment of its police force. An emotional Mayor Jerry Cole called Chief Painter an “outstanding police officer and friend for 25 years.”
Mayor Cole described Chief Painter as a “wonderful father, husband and grandfather;” one of the Chief’s sons works in law enforcement. Painter had risen as Chief of the five-person Rainier Police Department five years ago. “We can always replace the Chief of Police here in town, but we’ll never replace Ralph,” said friend Larry Gates.
Each New Year offers a fresh start for law enforcement officers and a new goal for all Americans - to reverse the spike in line-of-duty deaths, which surged nearly 40 percent in 2010 over 2009 with 162 officers killed. Our high hopes for significantly reducing the number of law enforcement officer fatalities in 2011 were almost immediately deflated with the lethal shooting of Clark County (OH) Sheriff’s Deputy Suzanne Hopper on New Year’s Day. “This is the worst day of my 24 years as the Sheriff of Clark County,” Sheriff Gene Kelly said.
Deputy Hopper reported to a mobile home park in Enon, northeast of Dayton, responding to a call about gunshots fired in the vicinity. While photographing footprints at the scene, gunman Michael Ferryman, 57, opened his silver trailer door to ambush Deputy Hopper, 40, with a shotgun. Deputy Hopper was killed instantly at approximately 11:30 am Saturday. “She never had the opportunity to return fire or take cover. She was an outstanding deputy,” said Sheriff Kelly.
Despite being told to surrender by authorities, Ferryman continued to fire at officers responding to the “officer down” call, forcing them to draw their weapons and return fire. Law enforcement personnel from four neighboring departments reported to the standoff, along with a Special Operations team and two SWAT teams. Ferryman was shot and killed during the exchange. Another officer, German Township (OH) Police Officer Jeremy Blum, 32, was wounded and taken to a hospital in Dayton for treatment.
In 2001, Ferryman played a role in an eerily similar incident; he repeatedly fired a weapon at law enforcement officers responding to a disturbance involving gunshots reported at a camp ground. Although Ferryman fired several times at authorities during a 26-hour standoff, no one was injured. After being found unfit for trial, he was committed into a psychiatric institution, and then found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2003; ultimately he was released from psychiatric care two years later.
Deputy Hopper, a wife and mother of two, was not only the first officer killed in 2011, but also the first Clark County officer killed on duty since 1978, as well as the first female officer to be killed on New Year’s Day . “It’s evident that she did more for people because she loved people, and I think that was why she picked the career that she picked,” her father, Charles Bauer said.
