Honoring 1 Fallen Hero

Honoring

Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller

Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, California

EOW: June 6, 2020 | Age: 38 | Tour: 14 Years

Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller was shot and killed as he and other deputies investigated reports of a suspicious vehicle. Deputies had originally responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle that contained guns and bomb-making materials in the area of Jamison Creek in Boulder Creek. As they arrived at the scene, they observed the van driving away and followed it to a home on Waldeberg Drive in the Ben Lomond area. The vehicle pulled into the driveway and the occupant immediately ambushed the deputies with firearms and improvised explosive devices. Sergeant Gutzwiller was killed and the other deputy was wounded. The subject then carjacked a vehicle and fled the area. He was located a short time later and engaged officers in another shootout. A California Highway Patrol officer and the subject were both wounded before the man was taken into custody. Sergeant Gutzwiller had served with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office for 14 years. He is survived by his expectant wife and young child.

Disclaimer:

This information is supplied by the Officer Down Memorial Page (www.odmp.org) and the U.S. Fire Administration (www.apps.usfa.fema.gov).

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*The $5,000 survivor benefit is paid when a line of duty death occurs. Line of duty is defined as AFBA members who are Emergency Service Providers to include law enforcement, firefighters, and emergency medical services providers who are killed while involved in operations at or responding to/from the scene of an incident. If death occurs otherwise, outside of a suicide, the beneficiary will receive a $2000 benefit.

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