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Montgomery police sergeant shoots son while defending wife, police say Montgomery police sergeant shoots son while defending wife, police say
(34 minutes later)
A Montgomery County police sergeant shot and killed his son while trying to stop the younger man from stabbing his mother, who died shortly afterward, police officials said Thursday.A Montgomery County police sergeant shot and killed his son while trying to stop the younger man from stabbing his mother, who died shortly afterward, police officials said Thursday.
“It’s a tragic situation,” said Capt. Jim Daly, a Montgomery police spokesman. The officer is a 27-year veteran of the force. “We can all imagine the emotions that are being felt.”“It’s a tragic situation,” said Capt. Jim Daly, a Montgomery police spokesman. The officer is a 27-year veteran of the force. “We can all imagine the emotions that are being felt.”
Daly said he would release the officer’s name once family members have been notified. Daly said he would release the officer’s name once family members have been formally notified.
It was not immediately clear why the son, 25, attacked his mother, 53, in an upstairs bedroom of the family’s Gaithersburg house. It was not immediately clear why the son, 25, attacked his mother, 53, in an upstairs bedroom of the family’s house in the 7400 block of Lake Katrine Terrace in Gaithersburg.
Daly said that detectives will examine possible mental health issues.Daly said that detectives will examine possible mental health issues.
“We’re certainly looking at that,” he said.“We’re certainly looking at that,” he said.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday, police received a 911 call about a shooting inside the home. The person making the call was the police sergeant. According to initial results of the investigation, the sergeant saw his son attacking his wife.Shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday, police received a 911 call about a shooting inside the home. The person making the call was the police sergeant. According to initial results of the investigation, the sergeant saw his son attacking his wife.
“He fired a handgun in an attempt to stop the attack,” Daly said. The sergeant “fired a handgun in an attempt to stop the attack,” Daly said.
He said it was too soon to say how many times the officer fired or how many times the mother was stabbed. Daly said she died shortly after arriving at an area hospital. The son was pronounced dead at the house. He said it was too soon to say how many times the officer fired or how many times the mother was stabbed. Daly said she died shortly after arriving at an area hospital. The son was pronounced dead at the house. The sergeant stayed on the phone after he called 911.
Detectives have spoken with the sergeant about the shooting.Detectives have spoken with the sergeant about the shooting.
Daly described the sergeant as not only a longtime police officer but a longtime and respected neighborhood resident.Daly described the sergeant as not only a longtime police officer but a longtime and respected neighborhood resident.
“He’s a very nice guy. He’s a very low-key, quiet, determined individual,” Daly said. The sergeant is the commander of a patrol unit. “He’s a very nice guy. He’s a very low-key, quiet, determined individual,” Daly said.
Daly said the sergeant and his wife have two other children.
Betsy Davis, an assistant county police chief, said she knows the sergeant from having trained with him in the 1990s.
“He’s just a very nice guy, very low-key, very humble. A family man,” she said. “He’s just a great guy.”
She said police officers know when they are sworn in that they may have to take a life, but she described the situation as “one of the worst tragedies you can ever imagine.”
“You never think you’re going to take your own family member’s life,” she said.
Davis said that in her role as an assistant chief, she never had any problems with the sergeant, who is the commander of a patrol unit.
“Never once did his name negatively come across my desk for anything,” she said. “He was somebody who went out and did his job.”
Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report.Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report.
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