'Universally Beloved' Slain Ga. Police Officer Honored with Tribute, Fundraiser
By Caroline Silva, David Aaro
Source The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Ga. Police Officer Killed During Suspicious Person Call in Mall Parking Lot
- A 23-year-old man is accused of shooting a Roswell police officer multiple times in a shopping center parking lot, and the suspect was arrested shortly after the deadly shooting.
A patrol car parked outside the Roswell Police Department has been covered with flowers in memory of the officer shot to death Friday evening.
“We are moved beyond words by this continued outpouring of support,” the department said in a social media post on Sunday.
Officer Jeremy Labonte was shot multiple times while responding to a suspicious person call at a shopping complex. He was 24.
The police department and the group Friends of Roswell Police have teamed up to launch a fundraiser to aid the family.
“He was universally beloved by all who were blessed to know him as a friend, a husband, a son, and a public servant,” the department said in a statement. Funeral arrangements haven’t yet been announced.
Edward Espinoza, 23, booked into the Fulton County Jail on Saturday, is charged with murder, aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony.
Labonte joined the department in November 2021 and was a member of the nightshift patrol.
“Officer Jeremy Labonte gave his life in service to this city, the city of Roswell, Georgia,” Mayor Kurt Wilson said during a Saturday news conference. “And we will never forget his dedication, his bravery and his ultimate sacrifice.”
The cruiser parked outside the department’s headquarters at 39 Hill St. is laden with bouquets of flowers and other items placed in Labonte’s memory. Among the mementos is a green and black football that showcased Labonte’s gift for helping others.
“Officer Labonte, I have not cut class since we talked,” the inscription wrote. It is signed, Xavier.
The shooting happened in the parking lot in the 1400 block of Market Boulevard off Holcomb Bridge Road.
Gov. Brian Kemp, in a post on X, said he, Marty Kemp and their children would be praying for the officer’s friends and family.
“We join them, his fellow Roswell PD, and all law enforcement in mourning this sudden and heartbreaking loss, and we ask all Georgians to join us in keeping them in your thoughts and prayers,” Kemp wrote. “May this courageous man’s memory inspire all of us in the days, weeks, and years ahead.”
The GBI is investigating the shooting.
Staff writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this article.
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