Houston mayor tweets remembrance for officer who died in flooding
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner (D) tweeted on Tuesday in remembrance of Sgt. Steve Perez, a police officer who drowned in his patrol car on Sunday in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
“Sergeant Perez fulfilled his purpose. His mission is complete. This city ought to celebrate his life. 9k police and fire working to serve,” Turner tweeted. “Perez ‘died in trying.’ RIP sergeant. Houston thanks you and mourns all who have died in #HarveyFlood.”
{mosads}Houston police on Tuesday said that Perez had died after drowning in flood waters underneath an underpass.
Mayor Turner confirmed that Sgt. Perez’s vehicle had been recovered at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning. He said the officer had told his wife, “I’ve got work to do,” when she had told him not to report for duty that morning.
“I’ve got work to do,” Perez told wife, who urged him to reconsider reporting for duty.
2024 Election Coverage
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) August 29, 2017
With the death of Sgt. Perez, the Category 4 hurricane that has since been downgraded to a tropical storm has now taken the lives of 15 people, as search and rescue efforts continue in the affected area.