#BREAKING – #CSP says car that wouldn't stop in Longmont hit a trooper & cadet who were putting down spike strips. The cadet died at scene
— Greg Dingrando (@GregDingrando) May 23, 2015
Two police officers were killed in the line of duty in roughly the past 24 hours.
The first incident occurred in Longmont, Colorado, where 21-year-old police cadet Taylor Thyfault was killed and 37-year-old trooper Clinton Rushing was injured after a motorist fleeing police slammed into the two officers as they were providing assistance in an unrelated crash:
A 21-year-old Colorado State Patrol cadet was killed and trooper injured in Longmont today. http://t.co/eERRyQyAsW pic.twitter.com/xhojGHOnNr
— Coloradoan (@coloradoan) May 23, 2015
The motorist, 27-year-old Christopher Lee Gebers, was arrested at the scene and reportedly told witnesses the crash wasn’t his fault because “the emergency brake locked up“:
Man charged with fatally striking cadet near #Longmont blames car malfunction http://t.co/6BGSuLx9gy via @DenverPost pic.twitter.com/mYlHjz4wWZ
— Longmont Times-Call (@TimesCall) May 24, 2015
And cadet Thyfault is being hailed as a hero for reportedly saving the tow truck driver as Gebers plowed into the accident scene:
Longmont police spokesman says CSP cadet got a tow truck driver out of the way of oncoming car just before he was hit. Last act was heroic.
— Noelle Phillips (@Noelle_Phillips) May 23, 2015
Heartbreaking. These are the days that sadden me beyond words. CSP cadet killed as he tried to save tow truck driver http://t.co/d0O7K8DPxq
— DJ Friednash (@DJFriednash) May 24, 2015
Hero, indeed.
The second incident occurred in Louisiana where an unidentified Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) police officer working security at a construction site was found fatally shot in his patrol car at 7:10 this morning:
BREAKING NEWS: New Orleans – HANO officer found shot to death in police cruiser http://t.co/SHgebSjwl2 @NOPDNews pic.twitter.com/jMxfd6TGf5
— Blue Alert (@BlueAlertUs) May 24, 2015
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu released a statement calling the officer’s death an “unspeakable tragedy, and a vile and cowardly act”:
Death of HANO police officer is unspeakable tragedy and vile & cowardly act. Thoughts & prayers w/officer's family. http://t.co/si2bqHTbd9
— Mitch Landrieu (@MitchLandrieu) May 24, 2015
However, police in New Orleans are unsure of a motive at this point:
Who killed HANO police officer shot in patrol car at construction site? http://t.co/sTInqW0S3F
— NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) May 24, 2015
Rest in peace.
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