Tulsa police officer serving In Iraq is killed
9/5/2006 6:52:00 PM
By Associated Press
A U.S. Marine from Tulsa was killed when the vehicle he was in was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq, officials said Tuesday.
Jared Shoemaker, 29, was a Marine Corps reservist who served as a Tulsa police officer before being activated in December 2005.
"Being a police officer was Jared's lifelong dream," Tulsa Police Chief Dave Been said. "He served the city with distinction and made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He will be sorely missed."
Shoemaker was killed Monday in the Al Anbar province of Iraq when the military vehicle in which he was riding struck an explosive device, said First Sgt. Gary Ochoa with the Broken Arrow-based Anti-Tank Training Company.
Marine Lance Cpl. Cody W. Hill, 23 of Ada, also was injured in the attack.
Hill was hit by shrapnel and suffered burns over about 50 percent of his body from the explosion, Ochoa said.
"He's seriously injured right now," Ochoa said. "He's not out of the woods yet. He's got a tough road to go down right now."
Ochoa said Hill will fly from Germany on Tuesday night and arrive Wednesday at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he will be hospitalized.
Ochoa said Shoemaker was married and had no children.
"He seemed to be a very courteous, bright, professional young man with a good work ethic," Ochoa said.
Ochoa said both Marines, who were providing security and training to forces in Iraq, were scheduled to return to the U.S. in October.
"They were right at the tail end of their deployment," Ochoa said.
Both Marines were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.