Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

 

Correctional Officer Donna Fitzgerald, 51

Florida Department of Corrections

 

On June 25, 2008, Officer Fitzgerald, a 13 year DOC veteran, was ambushed and sexually assaulted by an inmate at the Tomoka Correctional Institution. The officer was killed during the brutal assault.

Police Officer Nicholas Heine, 30

Pueblo Colorado Police Department

 

On Saturday June 21, 2008, Officer Heine was engaged in a foot pursuit after breaking up several bar fights when he suddenly collapsed. Efforts by fellow officers to revive Heine were not successful. He died a short time later at the hospital. It’s believed he had suffered a heart attack.

The officer was a nine year veteran, and leaves behind a wife and two daughters. Officer Heine’s mother is also employed by the Pueblo PD.

Correctional Officer Jose Rivera, 22

Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Department of Justice

On June 20, 2008, Officer Rivera was conducting the 4:00pm count at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater, California when he was stabbed to death by two inmates. The prisoners used homemade knives (shanks) to commit the horrific murder. Rivera had only worked for the BOP for approximately ten months.

Officer Rivera was also a veteran of the U.S. Navy.