A deputy who was shot in the line of duty Monday will be taken off life support in the next 48 hours, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.
Deputy Derek Geer was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital Monday morning after being shot multiple times.
Geer's family issued a statement Tuesday afternoon that they are grieving the loss of Derek.
"Our hearts are broken, as we begin the process of grieving the tremendous loss of Derek, our husband, father, son, and friend. The love and support that has been poured out to our family over the last 24 hours is humbling; the gratitude for Derek’s sacrifice and the compassion from this community is a reminder of the good in this world. As a family, we need to wrap our arms around one another and try to find ways to begin to heal. We thank you in advance for allowing us privacy while we grieve." - Kate Geer
Sheriff Matt Lewis issued the following statement Tuesday morning:
"I am heartbroken to update all staff that Deputy Derek Geer is in the final hours of his life. He is currently on life support at St. Mary’s Hospital while final arrangements are made for him to provide one last measure of service in the form of organ donation. I am told this could take up to 48 hours.
"We will not wait to begin to honor Deputy Geer and his sacrifice. Effective immediately and until further notice please shroud your badge in honor of Deputy Geer. We have posted a uniformed guard on Deputy Geer and will be providing a schedule of our needs if you would like to participate in guarding him. We will begin meeting with his family and working with them to understand their wishes and how we can support them. I will keep you updated as we develop plans with Deputy Geer’s family.
"Please continue to support each other and keep Deputy Geer’s family in your thoughts and prayers. I will continue to update as any new information is received.
"This has been a tragic and terrible day for the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office but I know if we support and care for each other we will eventually begin to heal."
Geer responded reports of a man carrying a gun and wearing a bandana over his face in the 500 Block of Fruitvale Court around 11:06 a.m.
Geer contacted a man matching his description and when the suspect attempted to run Geer deployed his taser, according the Sheriff's office.
That is when the suspect opened fire on the deputy and took off on foot, investigators said.
The 17-year-old suspect was taken into custody about an hour later.
Deputy Geer is a Navy veteran and has been employed with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office since October 2001. He is a husband and father of two children, 13 and 11.
A memorial fund has been set up for Geer's family. You can donate here.
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