Honored Fallen Officer Taken to Rest By 600 Police Vehicles
It is always heartbreaking to hear about another incident between an officer and the public, for many reasons.
This event is something different, though still very bittersweet. Though it is still painful, it warms our hearts and shows us that the world still has some good in it.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers and their vehicles helped escort fallen officer Jonathan De Guzman to his memorial service in San Diego on Friday, August 5th.
De Guzman passed away on July 28 after being fatally shot 5 times while sitting in the passenger side of a police car. His partner, Officer Wade Irwin, was shot in the neck, but is expected to recover.
The two officers had pulled up to a man walking on the road and Irwin asked if he lived in the area. The man was Jesse Gomez, a construction worker whose criminal record can be traced back to 1983. After shooting Irwin who had gotten out of the car to speak with him, Gomez ran up to the window of the car and shot De Guzman, killing him on the scene.
Gomez, who is currently in the hospital recovering from gun wounds from the officers, plead not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder.
De Guzman spent 16 years on the force and is a deeply respected member of the San Diego community. He survived a stab wound 3 years after joining the force, for which he received a purple heart.
His family, including his wife and two children, mourned his loss Thursday at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, the church they attended together. Uniformed police officers came to pay their respects from as far as Chicago, New York, Aurora, Colorado, and Fort Worth.
The memorial service brought officers from all around the U.S. as well. Held at Shadow Mountain Community Church, it held 4,100 people including 1, 000 San Diego police officers as well as about 1, 000 members of the force from other parts of the U.S.
The procession to the service was breathtaking. As 200 motor officers and 600 police cars escorted the hearse, the public stood by the side of the roads showing their respect for the fallen officer and the honor guard stood by to salute as he slowly passed.
Donations for the DeGuzman family are currently being accepted at the following address:
San Diego Police Officers Association
8388 Vickers St.
San Diego, CA 92111
