Phoenix PD - Officer Shot - LODD

[helicopper 1,050]

Shot Phoenix officer dead; suspect at large

Jennifer Price

The Arizona Republic

Jul. 27, 2007 12:10 AM

A young Phoenix police officer, just two years on the force, was fatally wounded Friday night while trying to take down a forgery suspect at a west-side check-cashing business. The suspect remains at large.

Officer George Cortez was pronounced dead late Friday at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, and the weary duo of Police Chief Jack Harris and Mayor Phil Gordon appeared at a press conference after 11:30 p.m. to mourn the death. Cortez was 23.

"My colleagues and i are here tonight to mourn over the loss of a hero," Gordon said. "Officers go out every day to protect us; we offer our condolences to the father and the mother and the family.

"We ask our city to pull together. This has been a very tragic day for our city, but we will move forward."

Just hours earlier, the mayor and the police chief had appeared before reporters after two Valley television news helicopters collided as they followed a Phoenix police pursuit of a vehicle thief. Four people, two working for Channel 3 (KTVK) and two for Channel 15 (KPHX), were killed.

Cortez was responding to a forgery in progress about 8:30 p.m. at a store in the 2300 block of West 83rd Avenue, near Encanto Boulevard. He went into the business and was attempting to apprehend the suspect when he was shot, Harris said.

Cortez was married with two young children.

"He was a very young officer, and had two years in our department," Harris said.

The shooting occurred in the vicinity of Cricket Wireless Pavilion, where a Rush concert was taking place. Police searched fans cars leaving the concert in the search for the shooter, whose description was unavailable Friday.

[RescueKujo 130]

Prayers and condolences to the family, friends and fellow officers of the Phoenix Police Department

[redmack 0]

Police Officer's Prayer to St. Michael

Saint Michael, heaven's glorious commissioner of police,
who once so neatly and successfully cleared God's premises
of all its undesirables, look with kindly and professional
eyes on your earthly force.

Give us cool heads, stout hearts, and uncanny flair for
investigation and wise judgement.

Make us the terror of burglars, the friend of children and
law-abiding citizens, kind to strangers, polite to bores,
strict with law-breakers and impervious to temptations.

You know, Saint Michael, from your own experiences
with the devil that the police officer's lot on earth is not
always a happy one; but your sense of duty that so
pleased God, your hard knocks that so surprised the
devil, and your angelic self-control give us inspiration.

And when we lay down our night sticks, enroll us in your
heavenly force, where we will be as proud to guard the
throne of God as we have been to guard the city of all
the people. Amen.

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

RIP COMRADE

[DOC22 1]

RIP Officer Cortez

[bigfitz2004 19]

Dear Lord, be with me on my beat

This day and every day.

Grant that each weary block I walk

May ease a brother's way.

Let me be kindly to the old

And to the young be strong,

But let me triumph over those

Whose acts are cruel and wrong.

And when my own last summons comes

And I stand in Your Court,

Lord, may my rest with You be long,

My punishment be short.

RIP