| | | New-mom police officer killed in Omaha day before start of maternity leave
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May 21, 2015, by WGN Web Desk and Associated Press
wgntv.com
 Officer Kerrie Orozco. Photo via the Omaha Police Department Facebook page
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new mother and police officer in Nebraska was killed in the line of duty Wednesday, just a day before she was going to begin her maternity leave to spend more time with her 3-month-old daughter.
Gunfire erupted when Omaha police, including 29-year-old Officer Kerrie Orozco, were serving a felony arrest warrant on 26-year- old Marcus Wheeler Wednesday. Orozco was shot, along with the suspect, who wanted on warrant accusing him of previous shooting in Omaha.
During a news conference at the hospital, Schmaderer said Orozco was a seven-year veteran of the department and worked in the gang unit.
According to a post on the Omaha Police Department’s Facebook page, Orozco had a husband, Hector, an 8-year-old stepdaughter, Natalia and a 6-year-old stepson Santiago. She had given birth to daughter Olivia Ruth on Feb. 17, who was set to be released from the hospital the day after Orozco was killed. She planned on taking a maternity leave at that time to be with her.
The Facebook post reads, in part:
“Officer Kerrie Orozco was not only a top notch police officer but she gave back to the community in so many ways. In today’s press conference, Chief Schmaderer stated that the community owes a great deal to such a wonderful person. Her loss will not only impact the police officers but will also be a huge loss for the citizens of Omaha.”
The Associated press contributed to this report. |
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