(StraightNews.org) – A Michigan sheriff’s deputy died when a car thief jumped from a vehicle and opened fire. Bradley Reckling of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in Detroit was a married father of three with nine years of law enforcement service. Sheriff Michael Bouchard described his death as an “ambush” and “soul-crushing.”
The incident happened in the Detroit suburb of Madison Heights. The 30-year-old deputy spotted the 2022 Chevy Equinox, knew it had been stolen earlier that day, and began following it. Without warning, the stolen car’s driver stopped and rapidly exited the vehicle while firing directly at the officer. Mr. Reckling died from bullet wounds to the head and chest.
A Facebook post from the sheriff’s department noted that the “much-beloved” officer was about to become a father for the fourth time and already had three young girls aged 5, 4, and 1. The post went on to state that three suspects were detained in connection with Deputy Reckling’s death.
Detroit media reports indicated that police are still seeking public assistance with the case and have offered a $5,000 reward for help.
Deputy Reckling joins a growing list of law enforcement officers to lose their lives in the line of duty this year. Between January and June, there were 71 fatalities, with the majority occurring in April. Figures show that the average age of mortally wounded officers is 40, and the average service period is just over 12 years.
The state with the highest number of fatal incidents is Texas, closely followed by New York, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. Most deaths are caused by gunfire, with automobile crashes in second place. Inadvertent gunfire killed two officers so far this year, including Rodney Osborne of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Osborne died from a bullet wound sustained during target exercises at the Corrections Training Academy. Detective Ryan So died in Arizona when a gun fell from a bag and discharged.
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