Minnesota Community Mourns Slain Deputy Joshua Owen
The community of Pope County, Minnesota, is grieving after the loss of Deputy Joshua Owen, who was killed in the line of duty during an attempted arrest of a domestic assault suspect in Cyrus on Saturday night.
Investigators say the suspect opened fire in an apartment, and four people were shot during the exchange of gunfire.
Both Deputy Owen and the suspect did not survive.
Deputy Owen is remembered by his mother as a proud father who loved his family, his Brotherhood, and his community.
He leaves behind a wife and a son whom he adored.
Another Pope County deputy and a police officer from Starbuck are both recovering from the incident.
Deputy Owen’s squad car, which now sits on the front lawn of the Pope County Sheriff’s Office, has become a memorial for him, adorned with flowers and visited by a steady stream of visitors.
The whole community is grieving, and every flag in the town is at half-mast.
Deputy Owen was recently honored for his hard work with a distinguished service award, and authorities spoke about who he was as a person and the legacy he leaves behind.
The investigation of the shooting is being handled by the BCA, and all officers involved were wearing active body cameras.
The loss of Deputy Owen is a reminder of the dangers that law enforcement officers face every day.
As a daughter of a person from law enforcement, one person expressed concern about how often these losses happen and how they make the younger generation afraid to be law enforcement officers.
