JPSO DEPUTY KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY
Pictures thanks to Chris Cade
I didn't know Josh Norris personally, but i can only imagine what his family and friends are going through. I hope his killer gets what is coming to him.
HEROS NEVER DIE!
The policeman stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining.
Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, policeman.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My church have you been true?"
The policeman squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't,
Because those of us who carry badges
can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was rough,
and sometimes I've been violent,
Because the streets are awfully tough.
But I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep....
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fear.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't.....I'll understand.
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod.
As the policeman waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, policeman,
You've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in hell.
Video Of Norris:
Check out this video: Josh Norris Memorial
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FULL STORY:
By Walt Philbin
Staff writer
A Jefferson Parish deputy sheriff, on the force for one year, was shot and killed responding to several calls of a domestic dispute in a Terrytown neighborhood Thursday night.
Deputy Joshua Norris, 22, was the first officer to arrive at 273 Southwood Drive just after 7 p.m. As he approached the house, he immediately encountered gunfire and was struck once in the upper right chest, Chief Deputy Newell Normand said.
Though he was wearing a bullet-proof vest, the bullet entered through the arm opening inflicting the fatal wound.
Fellow officers, responding just after the shooting, drove their vehicles between the house and Norris to shield him from more fire and recovered the wounded officer.
Norris was transported to Ochsner Medical Center-West Bank, the former Meadowcrest Hosptial, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 9 p.m.
He is the first Jefferson deputy killed in the line of duty in more than a decade, since James Clarius was fatally shot Oct. 5, 1996, during a traffic stop in Metairie.
Norris' suspected shooter, 21-year-old Antonio Luke, apparently fired from the garage of the home then barricaded himself in the house, where he remained 2 1/2 hours later, Normand said.
The Sheriff's Office had received several calls from members of Luke's family reporting the domestic disturbance including gunfire, said Col. John Fortunato, spokesman for the Sheriff's Office. According to the calls, Luke had recently broken up with his girlfriend, who had returned to the house to gather some possession before the two began fighting.
Luke's grandmother and the girlfiend were apparently in the home at the time of the shooting, but escaped sometime before Luke locked himself in the home. He was thought to be alone in the home alone when SWAT team arrived and evacuated surrounding homes.
The standoff continued until after 9:30, when deputies were preparing to send a robot into the house in attempts to contact Luke. There was no commuications between officers and Luke after the shooting.
Norris had joined the Sheriff's Office in June 2006 and in recent weeks completed the field training program, the final phase of training before recruits become full-fledged officers, Fortunato said.
He was "well-liked and was looking forward to a promising career in the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department," Fortunato said.