One of Our Own | EOW 10-05-16
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Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Steve Owen paid the ultimate sacrifice for responding to a burglary call on October 5, 2016 in Lancaster, California. The 27 year old suspect, a parolee who had served two prior prison terms and whose initial criminal activity began at age 11, did not hesitate in shooting Sgt. Owen in the face upon his arrival on scene. The suspect then proceeded to empty four more rounds into the 29 year veteran sergeant while he helplessly lay on the ground. The suspect then searched Owen for his county gun with the intent to use it on the second responding deputy, who was able to shoot the suspect in the shoulder before he fled on foot. The suspect was apprehended 90 minutes later. The LASD has officially released the statement that this was a “calculated execution.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the largest Sheriff's Department in the nation. Sworn personnel are just under 10,000 and LASD deputies provide law enforcement services to over three million residents in an area of 3,171 square miles of the 4,083 square miles on the county, both in the unincorporated county land and within the 42 contract cities.
My husband, like so many other deputies, sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and even the Sheriff, Jim McDonnell himself, knew and worked with Steve Owen personally over the years. My son, a deputy, paid honor by driving one of the radio cars in the procession to escort Sergeant Owen’s body from the hospital where he died to the county morgue in Boyle Heights, over an hour away.
To say that we (law enforcement family) are grieving is an understatement. The last time we lost a murdered deputy was eleven years ago. This execution has hit us like a category 5 hurricane. There is nothing stable for us to hold onto. We are at the mercy of processing the gravity of an anguish so deep it can’t be measured. One of our own has been ripped from us. Countless people have been affected in different ways dependent on their relationship to Sergeant Owen.
Mine seems insignificant. I was born into this department. I was the daughter of an LASD Captain and I am married to a seasoned sergeant who had a work relationship with Steve Owen. I did not know him personally, but it doesn’t matter because he and his family are law enforcement family. All our hearts bleed Green and Tan at this loss.
“This execution has hit us like a category 5 hurricane.”
My heart is so heavy for his wife. I can’t even imagine the scale of devastation she is living in right now. I pray for her…I pray for her family. There is nothing that can be done. He was stolen from her, from their home, from their marriage bed, from his adult children, from his animals, if he had them. And all that’s left is the fresh void of his life; his clothes in his closet, his shoes, his smell that will fade in time. I can only imagine her walking in her house looking through her tears at pictures of her husband on the wall; pictures that mark happy moments that now, only used to be. His smile and laughter have been silenced. Forced into a position by absolute evil, she has no choice but to walk in numb courageous bravery - one…step…at…a…time in the coming days, weeks and months trying to process the gravity of her loss. He will no longer be there for holidays, errands, vacations. She is a widow and now exists without her chosen life partner.
It’s this scenario each law enforcement wife or husband dreads and cannot fathom unless they have lived through it. My husband was ambushed by a suspect 20 years ago; his radio car riddled by machine gun fire. Multiple shots pierced his head rest - exactly where his head should have had he not dove out of the seat seconds before. He was uninjured. The suspect was killed. I narrowly missed having to walk out the reality of losing my husband in the line of duty. I was devastated for months - and he lived.
How can one process this depth of anguishing loss? It reminds me of the anguish Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was wrecked with such depth of sorrow, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat became as great drops of blood that fell to the ground (Luke 22:44). Jesus knew He was going to die. He asked the Father if possible to let this assignment pass from him but ultimately His will be done. And it was. Jesus willingly and knowingly went to slaughter on our behalf.
So did Sergeant Steve Owen and every single law enforcement officer who continues to pay the ultimate price on our behalf while vowing to keep us safe.
Jesus, also, was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care (Isaiah 53:3).
There is a very vocal and vicious anti-law enforcement population that has chosen to despise, reject, turn their backs on and even murder the the very ones who, 24/7, lay their lives on the line for humanity - ALL of humanity. Race doesn’t matter. Color doesn’t matter, Gender doesn’t matter. To uphold the law, to protect and serve and keep the peace is what each law enforcement officer vows to do - even to death.
“Forced into a position by absolute evil, she has no choice but to walk in numb courageous bravery”
When emergency situations happen and private citizens run the other way, our sworn personnel are the first responders running INTO whatever may leis ensue. They are societal guardians; our peace keepers; the ones who uphold and enforce the laws of our city, county, state and ultimately our national Constitution. They are our physical saviors in times of trouble. They are a different breed all together. They are not afraid to stand up and enact what they have been taught to do. There is not another profession that demands such great emotional, psychological and physical ability and restraint that our LEO’s must exercise on a daily basis.
Dear ones, there is no level of anguish our Father is not acquainted with. And although these merciless killings make no sense whatsoever, we have a Savior in heaven who keeps track of all our sorrows, collects all our tears in His bottle, and records each one in His book (Psalm 56:8). He is well acquainted with our grief and His heart bleeds and mourns with ours.
True in so many areas of society now, we have removed Him from our lives. Our country was founded on the hope and desires to worship God freely. Our country honored Him and brought Him into and acknowledged Him in everything. God was our foundation; our strength, our hope.
Much of society to this day has turned their backs on God. But God will never turn His back on us. He has given us free will - to choose how we live out our lives - with or without Him. We all have a beginning and we all have an end. He created each one of us in utter seclusion and called us by name while we were still in our mothers’ wombs (Psalm 139:15, Isaiah 49:1). He knows the number of hairs on each of our heads (Luke 12:7, Matthew 10:30). God is personal - IF we choose to call on Him, rely on Him and trust that He is who He says He is.
“Race doesn’t matter. Color doesn’t matter, Gender doesn’t matter. To uphold the law, to protect and serve and keep the peace is what each law enforcement officer vows to do - even to death.”
The older I get, the more I don’t understand. The blatant levels of evil and hatred that now exist are simply inexplicable. The execution of Sergeant Steve Owen, along with countless other murders of law enforcement officers weigh very heavily. There are no answers; only grief remains. I continue to rely on the One who created humanity for consolation, comfort and hope. In the end, we all must give an account for how we lived our lives. That means something to me. Our law enforcement officers, our Guardians, are not perfect people. None of us are or can be. We all do the best we can every day. We fail, we get back up and we keep going. It’s how God created us. He did not create us to exist without Him. And I pray that He greeted each one of the slain officers we have lost with open arms.
Rest in Peace Sergeant Steve Owen, you will be greatly missed by many.
Paying tribute to those Law Enforcement Officers who have died by gunfire in 2016. We see you, we honor you and we will not forget you. God bless your families. Thank you for your service. You made the world a better place. Rest in Peace:
Police Officer Lesley Zerebny
Palm Springs Police Department, CA
EOW: Saturday, October 8, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Jose Gilbert Vega
Palm Springs Police Department, CA
EOW: Saturday, October 8, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Blake Snyder
St. Louis County Police Department, MO
EOW: Thursday, October 6, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Sergeant Steve Owen
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, CA
EOW: Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Helo
Alaska State Troopers, AK
EOW: Sunday, September 25, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Sergeant Kenneth Steil
Detroit Police Department, MI
EOW: Saturday, September 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Officer Timothy James Brackeen
Shelby Police Department, NC
EOW: Monday, September 12, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Clint Corvinus
Alamogordo Police Department, NM
EOW: Friday, September 2, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Kenneth Ray Moats
Maryville Police Department, TN
EOW: Thursday, August 25, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Timothy Kevin Smith
Eastman Police Department, GA
EOW: Saturday, August 13, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Jose Ismael Chavez
Hatch Police Department, NM
EOW: Friday, August 12, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Corporal Bill Cooper
Sebastian County Sheriff's Office, AR
EOW: Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Special Agent De'Greaun Frazier
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, TN
EOW: Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Jonathan M. DeGuzman
San Diego Police Department, CA
EOW: Thursday, July 28, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Captain Robert David Melton
Kansas City Police Department, KS
EOW: Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Deputy Sheriff Bradford Allen Garafola
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, LA
EOW: Sunday, July 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Matthew Lane Gerald
Baton Rouge Police Department, LA
EOW: Sunday, July 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Corporal Montrell Lyle Jackson
Baton Rouge Police Department, LA
EOW: Sunday, July 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Court Officer Ronald Eugene Kienzle
Berrien County Sheriff's Department, MI
EOW: Monday, July 11, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Security Supervisor Joseph P. Zangaro
Berrien County Sheriff's Department, MI
EOW: Monday, July 11, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Brent Alan Thompson
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department, TX
EOW: Thursday, July 7, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Patricio E. Zamarripa
Dallas Police Department, TX
EOW: Thursday, July 7, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Sergeant Michael Joseph Smith
Dallas Police Department, TX
EOW: Thursday, July 7, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Senior Corporal Lorne Bradley Ahrens
Dallas Police Department, TX
EOW: Thursday, July 7, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Michael Leslie Krol
Dallas Police Department, TX
EOW: Thursday, July 7, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Deputy Sheriff David Francis Michel, Jr.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, LA
EOW: Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Ronald Tarentino, Jr.
Auburn Police Department, MA
EOW: Sunday, May 22, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer David Van Glasser
Phoenix Police Department, AZ
EOW: Thursday, May 19, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Bruno
Anaheim Police Department, CA
EOW: Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Detective Brad D. Lancaster
Kansas City Police Department, KS
EOW: Monday, May 9, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Aldo
Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, UT
EOW: Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Steven Michael Smith
Columbus Division of Police, OH
EOW: Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Trooper Chad Phillip Dermyer
Virginia State Police, VA
EOW: Thursday, March 31, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Deputy Sheriff Carl A. Koontz
Howard County Sheriff's Office, IN
EOW: Sunday, March 20, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer III Allen Lee Jacobs
Greenville Police Department, SC
EOW: Friday, March 18, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer David Stefan Hofer
Euless Police Department, TX
EOW: Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Officer Ashley Marie Guindon
Prince William County Police Department, VA
EOW: Saturday, February 27, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Corporal Nate Carrigan
Park County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Special Agent Lee Tartt
Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Bureau of Narcotics, MS
EOW: Saturday, February 20, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Major Gregory E. Barney
Riverdale Police Department, GA
EOW: Thursday, February 11, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Jason Moszer
Fargo Police Department, ND
EOW: Thursday, February 11, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Senior Deputy Mark F. Logsdon
Harford County Sheriff's Office, MD
EOW: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Senior Deputy Patrick B. Dailey
Harford County Sheriff's Office, MD
EOW: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer
Mesa County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: Monday, February 8, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Sergeant Jason Goodding
Seaside Police Department, OR
EOW: Friday, February 5, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Kobus
Omaha Police Department, NE
EOW: Saturday, January 23, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Ogar
Smith County Constable's Office - Precinct 5, TX
EOW: Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Douglas Scott Barney, II.
Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, UT
EOW: Sunday, January 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Police Officer Thomas W. Cottrell, Jr.
Danville Police Department, OH
EOW: Sunday, January 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Krijger
Norfolk Police Department, VA
EOW: Monday, January 11, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
K9 Jethro
Canton Police Department, OH
EOW: Sunday, January 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc-BhxEpFmA