This past month has been difficult and traumatic for our Law Enforcement Officers and citizens with 6 Officers shot; 2 two of which have succumbed to their injuries. We would like to take this moment to reflect on the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in blue. Especially to honor Sgt. Fishman of Wayne County Sheriff's Office and K9 Deputy Ned Byrd both recently killed in the line of duty. These men have tragically made the ultimate sacrifice that every Officer and their family fears the most.
That is why it is our mission to stand ready to assist the Departments and surviving families during their most critical time of need. Many people have asked how they can help. We do have GoFundMe fundraisers established for both Deputies and check donations can be made to Back The Blue NC, Inc. at P.O. Box 78 Franklinton, NC 27525. Please notify in the memo of the check which Deputy your donation is made out to. 100% of the funds raised are delivered by us personally to the surviving families, along with a Memorial Plaque to them. Every Department is gifted a Memorial Plaque as well.
To donate to the Benefit for the Family of Sgt. Fishman visit: https://gofund.me/f6f4923a
He leaves behind two young children, a wife, and a father.
To donate to the Benefit for the Family of Dep. Byrd visit:
He leaves behind a sister and his K9 Partner Sasha
Because of these tragic losses and our team working hard to support the Departments and families affected, July's newsletter was postponed due to these tragedies but we would still like to highlights important events that occurred.
July 5th brought good news when the man who shot Mount Holly Police Officer Tyler Herndon in 2020 pleaded guilty to the crime and received a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole. Officer Tyler Herndon and two other officers were responding to a break-in call around 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2020 at the Mount Holly Car Wash when Joshua Funk fired shots directly at them, killing Herndon.
Funk was indicted for murder, along with a slew of other charges related to the shooting and another burglary.
On another note, the Creedmoor Police Department is asking for your prayers as Lt. Adam Carlson battles a diagnosis of Stage 4 Lung Cancer which has metastasized to his spine. He is undergoing aggressive treatment which will hopefully reduce the tumor on the spine and offer him some pain relief while he undergoes chemo to target the lung cancer. If you are local to the Creedmoor area and would like to stay up to date with Lt. Carlson's treatment and fundraising events please join and follow his group.
The Sampson County Sheriff's Deputy shot in the line of duty on July 23rd of this year was been identified as Deputy Caitlin Emanuel. She was shot in the leg while attempting to apprehend a suspect who was stealing a motor vehicle. Deputy Emanuel was taken to Sampson Regional Hospital and transferred to a local trauma center where she had undergone numerous hours of surgery. Deputy Emanuel is a two year veteran with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and has been married to her husband Trent Emanuel for less than one year. Latest news is that she is at home recovering well!
We received word that our donor brick was added to the Mount Holly Police Department Memorial!
Many thanks to the Mount Holly Police Foundation who planned and built this beautiful tribute to honor Fallen Officer Tyler Herndon (EOW 12/11/2020) and all other officers who have served Mount Holly.
Lastly, as you know, K9 Deputy Byrd of the Wake County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed in the Line of Duty on August 11th. Tragedies like this affect affect the Departments involved, the families of the Fallen, and the community. Right now the Wake County Sheriff's K9 unit, which operates as a tight-knit family, is no different. They are still having to fulfill their shifts while mourning the loss of their brother in blue. That is why we have decided to put together gift baskets to the K9 Deputies and their K9 partners to show our support and appreciation. We will be filling baskets for each one of the 12 active K9 Deputies and their partners. Included will be Drinks, snacks, self care items, and gift cards to the Deputies and breed/training specific toys, treats, grooming items, etc. to the K9s.
We will be collecting donations for this project through our Venmo account @realBackTheBlueNC and are accepting donations from local businesses as well. If you are a business and are interested in helping please contact us at contact@backthebluenc.org
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