Authorities in Philadelphia and other officials announced the death of a police officer who had been hospitalized for more than 80 days after being wounded during a traffic check.
The Philadelphia Police Department released a statement on Tuesday, saying that Officer Jaime Roman passed away from his wounds just after 8:30 p.m. EDT in the intensive care unit at Temple University Hospital, surrounded by his family.
Mayor Cherelle Parker said she was in the hospital Tuesday night with other police officers and commanders when they learned of Roman’s death during a press conference held early on Wednesday morning to inform the public of his passing.
“I told the officers last night, many of whom had served with him, his family, his police family, his parter, we’ll never leave his side,” she stated. “And I told the officers taht we will be there for them as well.
“We ask them every day to go do a job for the people of Philadelphia, we ask them to protect and serve us to the best of their ability and it’s a very, very difficult job. A this moment, it is our job to be there for them.”
She declared that Wednesday was a day to honor Roman’s sacrifice and that she would have all city flags flown at half mast in his honor.
“We will not allow his death to be in vain,” she stated.
On June 22, Roman was shot on the evening in the Kensington district of Philadelphia. Upon observing a blue Toyota Echo being pulled over, he and his companion discovered that it was not registered or insured. Ramon Vazquez, the driver, was 36 years old and did not possess a license.
When one of the policemen noticed an empty pistol holster on the floorboard while letting Vazquez take his personal stuff out of the car that was going to be seized, the suspect took off running.
Vazquez allegedly turned and fired three rounds, one of which struck Roman in the neck as the officers pursued.
Roman was getting assistance from his partner, who abstained from the pursuit, thus the culprit was able to avoid capture. Following that, Roman was admitted to the hospital, where he stayed until his passing on Tuesday night.
Later, Vazquez was taken into custody by police after they broke into a house on E. Schiller Street and discovered magazines and a gun that was possibly used to shoot Roman.
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Commissioner of Police Kevin Bethel bemoaned the fact that cars are routinely seized by police for reasons unrelated to the shooting. He claimed that nobody would have been harmed if the suspect had left at any moment.
He referred to Roman as a “fighter” and claimed to have been present when the latter “took his last breath.” He said, “He fought and he fought hard” to get well from his wounds.
While the investigation into the incident is ongoing, Vazquez will face murder charges after the warrants are processed, according to Bethel.
Roman leaves behind a wife, a boy who is 4 years old, and a daughter who is 7 years old.
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