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View Full Version : Fallen: Officer Jeff Moritz


Rebecca
06-22-2000, 10:14 PM
Don first brought this sad news to us in another thread. Flagstaff is feeling the pain of it's first line of duty death. Officer Jeff may be the first, but he is still... one too many.

************************************************** *****

*Police Officer Jeff Moritz
Flagstaff Police Department, AZ

Cause of Death: Gunfire
End of Watch: June 21, 2000
Date of Incident: June 21, 2000
Time of Incident: 0445 hours
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 4 yr
Suspect Info: Arrested later in the day
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type

Officer Moritz was shot and killed after responding to a noise complaint in an upscale neighborhood during the early morning hours. Several residents had called the police to report that a pickup truck was repeatedly driving up and down the street playing loud music. Officer Moritz responded and stopped the pickup truck. Several minutes later he made an emergency broadcast that he had been shot. A total of five shots were fired at Officer Moritz, who never drew or fired his weapon.

Several neighbors administered CPR and Officer Moritz was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was wearing a bulletproof vest but one round struck him in the left shoulder, severing an artery. The 17-year-old suspect fled the scene but was identified and later arrested after a short foot chase. Officer Moritz had been with the agency for four years and is survived by his wife and two-year-old daughter.

*as reported by the ODMP

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May God bless this man's widow and child... and may he rest in peace.

http://www.officer.com/ubb/frown.gif

Rebecca
06-22-2000, 10:31 PM
Don... a picture of the very young Officer Moritz is already posted on his memorial page at the ODMP... and there is already one reflection that has been made. I'm sure there will be many more. Perhaps you would like to share this link with your friends.
http://www.odmp.org/cgi-bin/officer.pl?id=001052

I'm sorry this tragedy touches so close to home for you. We will all feel the loss of Jeff... as when one dies in this country... a part of all of America dies.

I'll say my prayers for you, your community and all of the Officers across the land.

CJ122
06-22-2000, 11:08 PM
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this fallen officer.

Don
08-06-2000, 12:11 AM
They finally brought charges against the 17 year old shooter in this case. He has been in custody since the evening after the shooting happened, but was arrested on other charges.

They finally got their ducks in a row and filed on him. Guess it took the state crime lab fellas a while to process all the evidence in this case.

The kid (doper) comes from a good family and it appears he is the only "bad apple" of the bunch. He apparently has been out of control for some time, and has been arrested several other times. Should not have even been out on the street at the time he killed Jeff, but the powers that be thought it would be a good idea to wait until he turned 18 to charge him for his previous offenses.
Go figure.

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Stay safe out there,
6P1 (retired)

Rebecca
08-06-2000, 04:03 PM
I'm glad they finally charged him... now I hope justice will be done and this bad apple won't be allowed to hurt anyone else ever again.

Have you heard any word of how his family is doing, Don?

Thanks for the update. Please, keep us posted on what happens.

Don
08-07-2000, 01:15 PM
Haven't heard anything recently on the family. There have been a whole bunch of fund raisers for them, from car washes to parades and car shows. The community seems to have really come out to help these folks and show their respect for the fallen officer.

Flagstaff seems to me to be kind of a strange town. There is an over population of dirt bags for the size of the community, but the majority of the community seems to be upper middle class or above, with higher educations.

They will argue and fight over any changes and almost anything else, but they seem to have come together in this situation.

------------------
Stay safe out there,
6P1 (retired)

RJH1751
08-08-2000, 12:38 AM
I'm sorry to hear about another tragic loss in our family. It serves as a reminder to use caution no matter how "routine" the call may be. We've got to remember to watch our own back, and each other's. RIP brother.

Don
04-03-2001, 11:44 PM
The shooter in this, 18 year old Eric Michael Clark, has been found "incompetent to stand trial." He has been committed to a state mental hospital for a minimum of six months.

If at the end of 21 months he is still found to be incompetent, the charges MAY be dismissed! What a crock! http://www.officer.com/ubb/mad.gif

Buddingnovelist
04-04-2001, 02:41 AM
Originally posted by Don:
The shooter in this, 18 year old Eric Michael Clark, has been found "incompetent to stand trial." He has been committed to a state mental hospital for a minimum of six months.

If at the end of 21 months he is still found to be incompetent, the charges MAY be dismissed! What a crock! http://www.officer.com/ubb/mad.gif

Youre KIDDING! I can't believe it. I thought we were getting away from that sh*t.
Please let us know what transpires, Don.

My heart goes out to Officer Moritz's family.

Chris

Night Trooper
04-04-2001, 10:42 AM
That's Bull-Sh*t!!!!!! This has got to change. So they'll put him on meds and release him into society, believing that someone who is incompetent to stand trial is competatnt to take meds three times a day. Then when police shoot him after he decides he's not going to take his meds and goes on a rampage the rich family will sue the cops for wrongful death, paying for the same high priced whore lawyer that got the punk off in the first place.

Money may not buy happiness but it sure helps the crimials stay active a lot longer.