TOPEKA, KAN. - U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom released the following statement Tuesday on the shooting death of Cpl. Jason Harwood of the Topeka Police Department, who was the third Topeka officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty in the past 21 months.
“Our hearts go out to the family of Cpl. Jason Harwood and to the men and women of the Topeka Police Department."
“The tragic fact is that every year dozens of police officers in this nation are killed by gunfire. The FBI’s preliminary statistics for 2013 show that 27 officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in 2013. Offenders used firearms in 26 of the 27 deaths."
“In many cases, officers are killed by armed felons. That is one reason our office will continue to put a top priority on the federal prosecution of convicted felons who possess firearms. If we can save one life, the effort will have been worth it."
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
