by Natalie Neysa Alund; Edited by News Gate Team
A Colorado police officer who was gravely hurt after he fell from a 40-foot bridge while pursuing suspects in a carjacking earlier this month passed away over the weekend, according to officials.
Officer Julian Becerra of Fountain City Police Department was declared deceased on Saturday at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, according to officials. Becerra, a 35-year-old K9 officer, was employed by the patrol division. About 15 miles south of Colorado Springs is Fountain City.
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Becerra formerly served in the U.S. Air Force and has been with the agency for four and a half years. His wife and two kids have survived him.
The officer lost his balance while attempting to apprehend a carjacking suspect on February 2, according to a police department news release. He had been on life support after being admitted to the hospital before he passed away.
Around 4 p.m. on the day of the fall, officers were asked to assist the Department of Corrections in locating a carjacking suspect from Pueblo, roughly 30 miles south of the city.
Police spokesperson Lisa Schneider made a statement on social media saying, “We appreciate the public’s outpouring of support over the past week for Officer Becerra, his family, and the Fountain Police Department. The family is requesting privacy as they work through the challenging chore of arranging for Julian’s ultimate rest because “this is an evolving process.”
The pursuit unfolded over several hours eventually leading to a foot chase between one carjacking suspect and officers near the intersection of Interstate 25, police said.
The driver and two passengers in the stolen car were arrested on warrants and on suspicion of felonies that occurred during the pursuit, officials said.
Devon Bobian, Danisha Pacheco, and Anthony Vallejos were named as suspects in the case by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the principal investigative body.
According to the sheriff’s office, the driver attempted to leap from the bridge but was stopped by officers who then dragged him to safety and arrested him.
For USA TODAY, Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news. You may get in touch with her at nalund@usatoday.com and on Twitter at @nataliealund.
by Natalie Neysa Alund; Edited by News Gate Team
