Detroit police officer shot and killed in the line of duty: ‘We lost a hero’

A Detroit police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty Wednesday, police confirmed. 

“We lost a hero today in our department and the city is grieving,” Detroit Police Chief James E. White said of the unnamed officer who was a five-year veteran of the force. 

“Our officers are heartbroken,” White added. “The violence in this country is outrageous. The assaults against police officers is outrageous. There’s entirely too much gun violence in this city. Too much gun violence in this country. And now we have an officer who has paid the ultimate sacrifice – put his life on the line for you and me every single day. And officers are doing it right now even after this call. Enough is enough.”

The suspect also died in the shootout on Joy Road and Marlowe Street in Detroit around 7:40 p.m., he said. The officer was taken to a hospital in critical condition and succumbed to his wounds. 

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“There is so much violence and it seems like there’s nowhere in this country that you can be safe but there’s people who don’t believe that,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said. “They’re police officers and they have a calling and they believe they can protect us. And Detroit officers every day confront the most violent people in this community in order to protect the rest of us.” 

The mayor said the officer’s family described him as someone who had a “calling” to his work and was doing “what he loved.”  

“We owe a debt of gratitude to all the officers out there working,” Duggan said. “And tonight we have an officer and a family with a debt that we can never repay. This entire city is holding the family in their hearts tonight. We will be with them every step of the way.”

White said the officer “comes from a long history of law enforcement officers.” He said the officer’s father is a recently retired police officer.

White said the officer’s family is heartbroken and their “soul is crushed.”