A rookie Arizona police officer has been killed in the line of duty, 18 years after his father was also killed in the line of duty, and a family friend says they are probably now “patrolling together in heaven.”
Joshua Brees, 23, was shot and killed early Saturday while responding to a disturbance at a house party in the Gila River Indian Community. He had been a tribal police officer with the Gila River Police Department for less than a year and was still in his on-the-job training.
His father, David Brees, was 36 when he was killed in a car accident in 2006 while working for the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office in Montana.
Despite that heartbreaking loss, Joshua Brees grew up dreaming of working in law enforcement. Lt. Kent O’Donnell, a family friend who served with his father, said: He told AZ Family.
“I actually had to convince him a few times, but he was determined. He wanted to be a police officer and he wanted to make his dad proud,” O’Donnell explained.
“They’re probably driving around on patrol together in heaven. It makes us smile a little bit knowing they’re together again.”
In an emotional statement, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office said David and Joshua “left this earth serving their community and doing what they loved.”
Police said Joshua Brees was killed when multiple shots were fired at a house party on tribal land around 2 a.m. Saturday.
A second officer was also shot and was in serious but stable condition as of Monday, according to AZ Family.
Four other victims were also shot, including Alisen Apkau, 23, who later died from his injuries, police said.
The Phoenix FBI announced the arrests of one man and two juveniles in connection with the shooting.
Tribal leaders also passed a rule temporarily banning all house parties in the wake of the weekend shooting.
With post wire
