“SHOTS FIRED, OFFICER DOWN” the radio on my desk screamed. “Edward 5-4 to main, we have shots fired and an officer down. Send medics code 3, send back up code three to the vicinity of third and eastern. Suspect running on foot, Hispanic male, 5 foot 9 inches, 30 years old, cowboy boots, dark jeans and western shirt.”

The office and all of its noise had come to a complete halt. Everyone held their breath awaiting the next transmission from the radio. Patrol cars flew out of the parking lot with lights flashing red and blue and sirens singing their warning songs to everyone to get out of the way. Every available office both on duty and off were heading toward the scene. I sat back down and waited.

The radio crackled “Where are the medics?” yelled the officer. Trained not to panic in the worst of situations, the officers voice shook “my sergeant has been shot, where are the damn medics?”
I didn’t hear the rest of the radio transmission. My mind whirled, I had to get to the hospital. I grabbed my keys and ran to my car. All the way to the hospital I tried to figure out what had happened. They were done with the operation; they were heading in to the station to finish up paperwork.

I saw the ambulance by the emergency room door when I pulled around to the back of the hospital. There were several officers standing outside the door as I pulled my car into a parking spot marked for law enforcement personnel slammed it into park got out and ran toward the door.

Hey, Andrews, what are you doing here?” asked one of the officers waiting outside.

“Who was shot?” I demanded trying to get through the crowd “Who?”

“Andrews, you can’t go in there” said James and tried to turn me away from the door and over toward the rest of the crowd.

“Who is it James? I need to know who it is.” I grabbed his arm and asked.

“It’s Sergeant Williams. The Sarg was shot and it’s bad. Come over here with us and wait.” He tried again to guide me toward the group waiting quietly outside for word on their Sergeant.

“I have to get in there” I pulled away and headed toward the door.

“No, you can’t go in, they don’t want anyone in there right now. Believe me, you don’t want to go in there, it isn’t nice.”

My heart sank, my knees were weak “you don’t understand, I have to be in there. I have to be with him.”

James tried to remain calm, “The doctors said no one goes in. Why do you think you need to be in there?”

“Because he’s my husband” I yelled out through the tears that suddenly burst out of my like a damn had broken. I went to my knees “because he’s my husband” I sobbed.