That’s the sentiment of a woman protected by police officers amid an unfolding crisis in Philadelphia last night.
Officers went to a house to serve a state narcotics warrant when they came under fire. Nearby daycare centers with dozens of children inside were evacuated. Women were escorted from the building where the suspect was located. Police urged residents to avoid the area.
Some of the officers responding to the incident had to escape the building through windows and doors. Six officers were injured, but the Philadelphia mayor said they have been released from the hospital and are in “good spirits.” SWAT officers helped evacuate two other officers and four women who had been trapped inside the home.
After almost eight hours, the suspect surrendered just after midnight. The city’s police commissioner identified him as Maurice Hill, age thirty-six, and stated that he has an extensive criminal history.
The death of Officer Andre Moye, Jr.
Much attention has been focused recently on those killed by police officers. Scrutiny has especially centered on allegations of police misconduct.
But much less attention has been paid to officers who have died in the line of duty.
As the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) notes, “When a police officer is killed, it’s not an agency that loses an officer, it’s an entire nation.” The ODMP lists seventy-three line of duty deaths this year, 163 last year, and 908 in the last five years.
One example is Officer Andre Moye, Jr. with the California Highway Patrol. He conducted a traffic stop in Riverside, California, last Monday. As he completed paperwork to impound the vehicle, the suspect retrieved a rifle from it and opened fire.
Officer Moye was mortally wounded but was able to radio for assistance. Officers responded and engaged the suspect in a prolonged shootout. Two other officers…
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