It hit the local Phoenix community in Arizona hard. A police officer commander by the name of Greg Carnicle was one of three first responders shot after responding to a domestic violence call Sunday evening.
Carnicle, a 31-year veteran of the police force in Phoenix, passed away. It came after he attempted to calm down a man involved in said dispute. The man open fired, shooting three officers in the process. The other two officers are expected to survive.
What makes this even sadder is the fact that Carnicle was just months away from retirement after serving the community so bravely for more than three decades.
Given their relationship to the local authorities, the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals announced with a heavy heart on Tuesday that they will donate $50,000 to the family of Mr. Carnicle.
No amount of money will bring this hero back. But at the very least, Carnicle’s loved ones have one less thing to worry about as they prepare for services for the patriarch of the family.
“There are literally no words that can properly convey the incredible man our husband and father was. He was a selfless man who was always there for a neighbor, a friend, his brothers in blue, but mostly his family. He dedicated his life to serve, protect, provide for, and love us,” the family said in a statement Monday. “He was truly our hero and always will be. He touched many lives and many hearts have now been broken. We are beyond thankful for our community. We appreciate the outpouring of kind words and we hear your prayers. We know he will live on through the character and love he built in our family. We are strong because of him and we will do our best to live to the fullest to honor him.”
Our thoughts obviously go out to the local Phoenix community, the police department and Carnicle’s family during these most difficult of times.
As it relates to the Cardinals, this is another example of the organization stepping up to help their local community through what have already been difficult times.