On this day, September 21st, 1985, Paris Police Officer David Roberts was killed in the line of duty.
Today we remember and honor Officer Roberts.
“33 years is a long time, but it doesn’t diminish the pain of that day or the ability to understand the importance of remembering David and what he stood for,” Paris Chief of Police Bob Hundley
The Paris Police Department said David had stopped a vehicle on N. Main that matched the description of one just used in an armed robbery of a local store. While calling out his location on the patrol car radio, a suspect jumped from the stopped vehicle and shot into the windshield of the patrol car striking David in the neck. As David tried to exit the police car through the passenger side door, the suspect ran to the driver’s side window and shot him several more times in the back.
David came to work that morning not knowing that in a little over three hours he would be dead. No officer in shift briefing that morning knew of the horrors to come. It”s called the unknown.
Police officers and their families do not dwell on the unknown. These men and women volunteered and sought employment to put themselves between good and evil, to help and to provide service. There are failures, but very few. No officer signs up to be killed.
We honor David by remembering his sacrifice.
Photo: The Paris News
