DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Detroit police officer who was shot and killed by a suspect on Wednesday evening has been identified as Loren Courts, a five-year veteran of the force and a father of two.
Loren's wife, Kristine, posted a tribute to her husband on Facebook Thursday morning.
"He was an amazing dad, my best friend and the man I married. All the news articles talk about is a DPD officer. He was so much more to me and the kids. Our Batman!" Kristine wrote. "I’m broken, I can’t begin to imagine how we are going to live without him. My babies need him. I need him. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up from this nightmare and he’s going to come home."
Loren and his partner were responding to a report of shots being fired around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
When they arrived, Detroit Police Chief James White said the suspect shot Loren with a Draco assault weapon, which is similar to an AK-47.
Loren's partner returned fire and shot and killed the suspect.
“We lost a hero in our department. Regardless of what side of the political aisle you’re on, on this issue of gun violence, there’s entirely too much gun violence in this city and too much gun violence in this country, and now we have an officer who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” White said during the press conference. "The officers are heartbroken and they are constantly doing exactly what this community needs and what we want them to do, and that's put their lives on the line and work very hard for this city and this department day in and day out."
Mayor Mike Duggan said he spoke with the officer's family and said they described his service and work in the community as his calling.
"This entire city is holding the family and their hearts tonight and we will be there every step of the way in the difficult days ahead," he said.
"How do you tell a mom and a child what I just told them. It's outrageous," White said. "(The family) is heartbroken. Their soul is crushed. This is the worst day of their life and dad is not coming home, husband's not coming home and it's unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable."
This story was originally reported on wxyz.com.
