Slain Utah Police Officer, Massachusetts Native Laid To Rest
OREM, Utah (CBS/AP) — Provo's police chief says an officer fatally shot while trying to arrest a wanted man died after he "selflessly sacrificed his life to protect the lives of his fellow officers."
Police have released few specifics of what happened when Master Officer Joseph Shinners was killed the night of Jan. 5 in Orem, but Police Chief Richard Ferguson said during Shinners' funeral service that Shinners saw another officer in danger and took action while putting himself in peril.
Brother-in-law Kyle Swanson said Shinners loved taking care of others and "served his family, his friends and his community."
The service for the 29-year-old was held at Utah Valley University's arena in Orem, Utah, on Jan. 12. Shinner was a Massachusetts native.
His brother, Michael Shinners is a detective with the Haverill Police Department. Another brother, Thomas Shinners, is a former member of the the Haverhill Police Department. Several Haverhill Police officers made the trip to Utah for Shinners' funeral, according to the department's Facebook page.
An official announcement from the Haverhill Police Department said, "Law Enforcement is a family, and this past week our Haverhill Police family was hit hard by tragic loss. Today, we hoped that we provided some measure of comfort and support to Mike, Tom, and the entire Shinners family as they laid to rest their loved one, Off. Joseph Shinners."
Police have accused 40-year-old Matt Frank Hoover of shooting Shinners. Hoover was wounded in the encounter and remains hospitalized.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)