Vigil Held To Honor Young Detroit Police Officer Killed In Line Of Duty
DETROIT (WWJ) - Family, friends and fellow officers came together for a vigil to honor Detroit Police Officer Glen Doss, Jr., shot and killed in the line of duty.
The 25-year-old died at Detroit Receiving Hospital Sunday, days after he was shot in the head while responding to a domestic violence complaint on the city's east side.
"In my heart I believe that this happened to Glen Doss because there's got to be a greater call and a greater good to come out of this for him to have lost his life due to this tragic event," Doss' father, himself a veteran of the Detroit Police Department, told those gathered at a packed 7th Precinct Monday.
A local choir sang, and those in attendance shared stories and memories of the fallen officer.
"Just the day before his untimely shooting incident, Glen's mother called, and she said, 'What do you think about your job?' And he said, 'I love it,'" Detroit Police Chief James Craig said. "And that's really a testament of so many police officers."
"I can tell you admittedly that this is one of the tougher situations that I've had to deal with," the chief added.
Doss was sitting in a patrol vehicle in front of a home in the area of Chene and I-94 last Wednesday night when police say 43-year-old Decharlos Brooks of Detroit opened fire, striking the young officer before he could even get out of the car.
Brooks fired 32 shots, according to police, before going back into the house where he remained for more than three hours. Police eventually fired tear gas into the house, prompting Brooks to walk outside and surrender.
Brooks, who family members say suffers from mental health issues, was arraigned on multiple charges Saturday and remains jailed. Following Doss' death, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said charges of first degree murder and murder of a peace officer would be added, with an arraignment on the amended charges set for next Tuesday.
"The hearts of the men and women of the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office are heavy today, but our resolve is strong to bring the defendant to justice," Worthy said in a statement. "The death of Officer Doss illustrates once again the extreme danger involved for police officers in domestic violence cases. We must protect our officers, and pay very serious attention to domestic violence issues."
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan described Doss, who'd only been on the force for about two years at the time of his death, as "everything that is good about Detroit."
A GoFundMe account has been set up on behalf of Officer Doss, who left behind a 9-month-old baby. Find information [HERE].
