A 29-year-old police officer who had put off maternity leave after giving birth prematurely to a daughter in February was being mourned Thursday, a day after she was gunned down in a shootout with a fugitive.
Kerrie Orozco, the first female officer from Omaha's police department to die in the line of duty, had only recently given birth to a daughter, and also was stepmother to two children ages 6 and 7, according to authorities. She was pronounced dead at Creighton University Medical Center shortly after the 1 p.m. shooting, Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said at a hospital news conference. Schmaderer said the suspect, 26-year-old Marcus Wheeler, also died at the hospital.
"Officer Kerrie Orozco gave her life for all of us in her service to the Omaha Police Department," said Omaha Mayor Jean Stohert. "She will be remembered and missed as a loving wife, mother, daughter and dedicated officer."
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