Fort Collins Police Honor Slain Officer Over 100 Years After His Death
Over 100 years later, Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS) still remembers the loss of one of their officers.
According to a Facebook post from FCPS, Officer Charles Brockman died on December 17, 1911, while pursuing a suspected killer. The incident began that night, when Brockman was patrolling the area near Linden and Walnut.
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During his patrol, Brockman heard someone scream "murder!" and ran to investigate. When he got to the scene, he learned that a suspect had stabbed a man before fleeing west on Walnut.
Brockman and other citizens went looking for the suspect and discovered him at the corner of Pine and Jefferson. Unfortunately, the suspect opened fire and shot Brockman in the face before fleeing again.
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The post noted that Brockman was able to shoot the suspect in the leg, while a railway night watchman managed to hit him in the arm. However, the suspect continued running and disappeared into the night.
Citizens brought Brockman to an area hotel and attempted to save him, but he sadly died a few minutes later, leaving behind a wife and daughter.
FCPS shared a resolution that City Council had published after Brockman's passing, giving insight into what the officer was like:
...the City of Fort Collins, and its people...recognize the loss of one of their most efficient police officers, who was respected and esteemed as a true, faithful, determined, active, fearless, and dutiful officer and guard of individual and public order and safety, and one against whom the voice of unfavorable criticism was never raised.
In the Facebook post, FCPS also expressed their current appreciation for Brockman, stating that they will never forget his sacrifice.
Thankfully, Brockman's murder did not go unsolved. Deputies from the Larimer and Weld county sheriff's offices identified the suspect as Lauro Garcia and tracked him down.
Garcia was convicted in 1916. Read more about infamous Colorado crimes in the gallery below.