Colorado Sheriff: Deputy in Final Hours of Life

Feb. 10, 2016
Mesa County Deputy Derek Geer sustained "life-threatening injuries" after he was shot multiple times by an teenager Monday morning.

A Mesa County, Colorado Sheriff’s deputy critically was wounded after being shot multiple times Monday morning.

Deputy Derek Geer was investigating a report of an armed person walking down a street in Grand Junction when the shooting occurred, according to The Daily Sentinel.

The 15-year veteran sustained "life-threatening injuries" and was listed in critical condition at St. Mary’s Hospital, Sheriff Matt Lewis said during a news conference.

Update: In a statement released early Tuesday morning, Lewis said that Geer is currently on life support at St. Mary’s Hospital while arrangements are made for organ donation.

"I am heartbroken to update all staff that Deputy Derek Geer is in the final hours of his life," Lewis said, adding that the process could take up to 48 hours.

"We will not wait to begin to honor Deputy Geer and his sacrifice. Effective immediately and until further notice please shroud your badge in honor of Deputy Geer. We have posted a uniformed guard on Deputy Geer and will be providing a schedule of our needs if you would like to participate in guarding him. We will begin meeting with his family and working with them to understand their wishes and how we can support them. I will keep you updated as we develop plans with Deputy Geer’s family.

This has been a tragic and terrible day for the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office but I know if we support and care for each other we will eventually begin to heal.”

The shooter, a 17-year-old boy, was taken into custody.

The 40-year-old deputy is a U.S. Navy veteran who was hired by the Mesa County Sheriff's Office in 2001 and has worked in several divisions. He currently works in the patrol division.

He is married and has two children, ages 11 and 13.

"This is a person who has dedicated his adult life to this organization, to protecting this community and today, quite possibly, made the ultimate sacrifice," Lewis said. "This person was a member of this community. He was a father. He was a husband. His kids attend school here. He was active in many different things in this community. He's going to be known to many people."

The unfolded when three deputies responded around 11:06 a.m. to a report of a man walking with a gun in the 500 block of Fruitvale Court. The deputies encountered the teen and Geer began talking with him. When Geer told the teen that he was going to be detained, he pulled away and an altercation ensued. Geer fired a Taser that struck the boy, but the boy pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at the deputy.

An "officer down" call came in at 11:17 a.m.

Authorities detained the 17-year-old in the backyard of a home at 494 Ol’ Sun Drive at 12:04 p.m. Lewis said that investigators recovered the handgun apparently used in the shooting. The suspect was taken into custody.

Officer.com will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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