January 2019

Deputy Sheriff Joshua Bryan “LJ” Ryer, JR

Deputy Sheriff Joshua Bryan “LJ” Ryer, JR

Glascock County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia

Born: Unknown

End of Watch: Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Age: 19

Years of Service: 5 months

Badge: 603

Deputy Sheriff Bryan was killed in an automobile accident while on his way to the Regional Youth Detention Center to pick up an inmate. His patrol car collided with another vehicle at an intersection. Deputy Sheriff Bryan served the Glascock County Sheriff’s Office in Washington, Georgia for only five months. He is survived by his parents, siblings, and grandparents. 

K9 Chucky

K9 Chucky

Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Texas

Breed: Belgian Malinois

End of Watch: Friday, January 25, 2019

Gender: Male

Age: 6

Years of Service: 4 years

K9 Chucky was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a subject following a vehicle pursuit. The pursuit had traveled through Karnes County and Wilson County before entering Bexar County. K9 Chucky was deployed for an apprehension  after the vehicle stopped. He was able to bite the subject before the man produced a handgun and fatally shot him. Other deputies and troopers returned fire, wounding the man. 

He was trained in narcotics detection and patrol.

Police Officer Sean Paul Tuder

Police Officer Sean Paul Tuder

Mobile Police Department, Alabama

Born: December 2, 1987

End of Watch: Sunday, January 20, 2019

Age: 31

Years of Service: 3 years

Badge: 188

Military Veteran

Officer  Sean Tuder was shot and killed when he and several other officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant. The subject had both local and federal warrants for several charges. The previous week, he had faked his own abduction in order to avoid reporting to jail. 

Shots were fired as they attempted to take the subject into custody and Officer Tuder was fatally wounded. The subject was taken into custody immediately. 

Officer Tuder was a member of the Alabama National Guard. He had previously been recognized as Officer of the Month. He is survived by his wife, parents and siblings. 

Deputy Sheriff Ray Elwin Horn, III

Deputy Sheriff Ray Elwin Horn, III

Comal County Sheriff’s Office, TX

Born: July 7, 1974

End of Watch: Thursday, January 17, 2019

Age: 44

Years of Service: 11 years, 6 months

Badge: 471

Military Veteran

Deputy Sheriff Ray Horn suffered a fatal heart attack after participating in his agency’s mandatory physical fitness testing. He had completed testing and left the facility when he suffered a heart attack while driving his patrol car at 5:15 p.m. His patrol car collided with two other vehicles. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

Deputy Horn was a US Air Force veteran and then served with the Comal County Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife.

Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Norman D. Merkel

Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Norman D. Merkel

United States Department of Justice – United States Marshals Service US Government

Born: July 19, 1973

End of Watch: Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Age: 45

Years of Service: 21 years

Badge: 3019

Military Veteran

Deputy Merkel suffered a fatal heart attack during participation in his agency’s wellness program at the United States Courthouse in Corpus Christi, Texas. 

Deputy Marshal Merkel was a US Army Veteran prior to joining the Marshal Service in February 2001. While in Corpus Christi, he also held the title of Task Force Commander of Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force. He had previously served with McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office in North Dakota for three years. He is survived by his mother and two sisters. 

Sergeant WyTasha Lamar Carter

Sergeant WyTasha Lamar Carter

Birmingham Police Department, Alabama

Born:

End of Watch: Sunday, January 13, 2019

Age: 44

Years of Service: 17 years

Badge: Not Available

Military Veteran

Sergeant WyTasha Carter was shot and killed when he and another officer attempted to arrest two men who were breaking into vehicles. The officers were on a special detail because of multiple vehicle break-ins. Sergeant Carter was called to the scene of two subjects attempting to enter multiple vehicles and began to search them for weapons. One of the subjects produced a handgun and shot Sergeant Carter and other officers. One of the subjects was wounded during return fire and both subjects were taken into custody. 

Sergeant Carter was a US Air Force veteran. After the Air Force, in 2002, he was a correctional officer with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. He joined Leeds Police Department later that year and remained there until moving to the Fairfield Police Department in 2007. He left Fairfield PD in 2011 to join the Birmingham Police Department. While there, he worked various assignments including patrol, HICOPP and Youth Services as a school resource officer. He was also made a member of the precinct’s task force. 

In 2016, Carter was one of several officers who had responded on April 14 to a home where a roof and chimney had collapsed, trapping and 8-year-old and 5-year-old child beneath the rubble. He and the other officers were later honored for the rescue. 

He is survived by his wife and children. 

K9 Haas

K9 Haas

Duluth Police Department, Minnesota

Breed: Belgian Malinois

End of Watch: Sunday, January 13, 2019

Gender: Male

Age: 3

Years of Service: 3 years

K9 Haas was shot and killed during a barricade of a domestic violence suspect. The subject barricaded himself inside of the home as officers arrived at the scene of the initial call. Negotiators spoke to the man for about an hour before he opened fire, killing K9 Haas and wounding an officer. The suspect was found dead inside the home a short time later after other officers returned fire. 

He was certified in narcotics detection and patrol. 

Trooper Christopher Lambert

Trooper Christopher Lambert

Illinois State Police, Illinois

Born: Not Available

End of Watch: Saturday, January 12, 2019

Age: 34

Years of Service: 5 years

Badge: 6527

Military Veteran

Trooper Christopher Lambert was killed when he was struck by a motor vehicle while investigating the scene of an accident. He was on his way home when he came across the accident and stopped to render aid. He was standing outside of the vehicle when he was struck by a vehicle that failed to slow down or move over. A nurse on scene performed CPR until he rescue services arrived and was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after. 

The driver of the vehicle that struck Trooper Lambert admitted to smoking THC oil the previous day and was charged with reckless homicide. 

Trooper Lamberts was a US Army veteran who served five years in the Army including two tours of duty in Iraq and Haiti and served three additional years in the Army Reserve. He is survived by his wife and 1-year-old daughter. 

Police Officer Natalie Becky Corona

Police Officer Natalie Becky Corona

Davis Police Department, California

Born: July 26, 1996

End of Watch: Thursday, January 10, 2019

Age: 22

Years of Service: 5 Months

Badge: 224

Police Officer Natalie Corona was shot and killed while responding to a vehicle crash. As she was conducting an investigation, a separate party rode up on a bicycle and open fired. The subject shot her several more times after she fell and then began shooting at other people and vehicles. The subject then fled to a nearby home and later emerged wearing body armor. After yelling at the responding officers, he re-entered the home where he committed suicide moments later. Officer Corona was transported to the hospital where she died from her wounds. Authorities identified the suspect as 48-year-old Kevin Douglas Limbaugh who believed that police were bombarding him with ultra-sonic waves.

Officer Corona began her career as a part-time volunteer Community Service Officer in 2016. She graduated from the police academy in July 2018 and completed her field training just three weeks prior to the incident. She is survived by her parents.  

Police Officer Clayton Joel Townsend

Police Officer Clayton Joel Townsend

Salt River Police Department, Tribal Police

Born: Not Available

End of Watch: Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Age: Not Available

Years of Service: 5 years

Badge: Not Available

Police Officer Clayton Townsend was struck by a motor vehicle and killed while conducting a traffic stop at 6:00 p.m. He was approaching the car that he had stoped when another vehicle struck him and the stopped vehicle. He was taken to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

The driver who struck him and the stopped vehicle admitted to texting and driving at the time of the crash. He was charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and endangerment. 

Officer Townsend is survived by his wife and 10-month-old child. 

Police Officer Dale James Woods

Police Officer Dale James Woods

Colerain Township Police Department, OH

Born: June 8, 1972

End of Watch: Monday, January 7, 2019 

Age: 46

Years of Service: 15

Badge: 47

Police Officer Dale Woods succumbed to his injuries that he received three days prior. He was moving traffic cones from a crash site when he was struck by a pickup. Woods is survived by his three children Collin Woods, Hallie Renee Woods, and Trinity Nicole Woods.

K9 Able

K9 Able

United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, US Government

Breed: Labrador Retriever

End of Watch: Saturday, January 5, 2019

Gender: Male

Age: 6

Years of Service: Not Available

K9 Able died of complications of being exposed to an unknown substance during an explosives detection training deployment in Dallas, Texas. Following his exposure, he became ill and experienced renal failure. His condition worsened and he died as a result of complications 10 days later. 

K9 Able had served with the ATF for five years and worked as an explosive detection canine.

Master Police Officer Joseph William Shinners

Master Police Officer Joseph William Shinners

Provo Police Department, Utah

Born: September 25, 1989

End of Watch: Saturday, January 5, 2019

Age: 29

Years of Service: 3

Badge: 310

Master Police Officer Joseph Shinners was shot in Orem, Utah while attempting to arrest a wanted fugitive at 10:00 p.m. During the arrest attempt, the fugitive open fired and fatally shot Officer Shinners. He was transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his wounds shortly before midnight. The fugitive was also shot and is in custody. Shinners is survived by his wife and young son.