Holly MatkinEverett, WA – Everett Police Department (EPD) Officer Dan Rocha was murdered in the line of duty while responding to a report of a suspicious person on March 25.
The incident occurred near a Starbucks shop located in the 1000-block of Broadway Avenue at approximately 2 p.m., KOMO reported.
When Officer Rocha arrived at the scene, he made contact with a 50-year-old male in the shop’s parking lot, according to police.
At some point during the encounter, a scuffle broke out between Officer Rocha and the suspect and the suspect opened fire, KOMO reported.
At least one bullet hit Officer Rocha in his head, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
The gunman then ran over the slain officer’s body while fleeing the scene in a vehicle, investigators said.
Police pursued the suspect, who was driving a Mini Cooper, before he crashed into multiple vehicles near Rucker Avenue and 35th Street, KOMO reported.
A white van was flipped onto its side in the collision.
The suspect emerged from the crash with minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment before being booked into the Snohomish County Jail, KOMO reported.
He was later identified as convicted felon Richard James Rotter, who has at least 18 felonies on his record, KCPQ reported.
Kennewick police said they have had hundreds of contacts with Rotter over the years.
He was being held on suspicion of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree murder of a police officer with a gun early Saturday morning, the Everett Herald reported.
The Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART) is handling the ongoing investigation into the fatal incident, the EPD said in a press release on Friday night.
“It is with great sorrow that we inform our community that Officer Dan Rocha was killed today in the line of duty,” the EPD’s post read. “Our department and all its members are appreciative for the support that our community and fellow law enforcement agencies have shown us during this time.”
Officer Rocha, 41, joined the EPD in 2017 and worked in parking enforcement before becoming a fully-commissioned police officer the following year.
He spent most of his career working in the North Everett area.
The EPD said Officer Rocha “was well respected by both the community and his fellow officers.”
“His loss will forever leave a void in our agency and our community,” the police department said.
Officer Rocha leaves behind his wife, two sons, and a large extended family.
“Please keep them in your thoughts during this extremely difficult time,” the EPD said.
Everett Police Chief Dan Templeman said the agency has established a memorial fund and is planning a ceremony to honor Officer Rocha, KOMO reported.
“He was a great man, a great father (and) a great husband,” Chief Templeman said. “His crew members loved working with him (and) he loved his job.”
Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin released a statement in the wake of the beloved officer’s murder, according to KOMO.
“I am devastated by the loss of our Officer Dan Rocha, a valued member of our Everett Police Department who was killed today in the line of duty,” Franklin wrote. “My heart goes out to his family and loved ones, as well as our entire Everett Police Department grieving this senseless loss.
SMART spokesperson Courtney O’Keefe called the officer’s death “absolutely tragic (and) devastating,” according to KOMO.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Everett Police Department,” O’Keefe said.
As the suspect in his death goes to court today, the memorial to fallen Everett Police Officer Dan Rocha continues to grow around his cruiser parked on Wetmore and Wall St. pic.twitter.com/dOapwdCIix
— John HopperstadTV (@JohnHopperstad) March 28, 2022
🔹 Blessed Are The Peacemakers 🔹
Police Officer Dan Rocha
Everett Police Department, Washington
EOW: Friday, March 25, 2022#EnoughIsEnough #OfficerDown #EOW #ThinBlueLine pic.twitter.com/AWGGxx0Lbb
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) March 28, 2022
Thank you to our community for the outpouring of support you have shown us since Officer Rocha was killed in the line of duty.
For those in the community who would like to honor Officer Rocha, we have set up a memorial in front of our North Precinct (3002 Wetmore Ave). pic.twitter.com/BFy5c0YGm8— Everett Police (@EverettPolice) March 26, 2022
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of @EverettPolice Police Officer Dan Rocha who was shot and killed in the line of duty. May God grant him eternal peace. #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/IfPmdqFWpw
— NYPD Chaplains Unit (@NYPDchaplains) March 26, 2022
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Everett Police Department Officer Dan Rocha, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Officer Dan Rocha, your life mattered.
