McKeesport Officer Chuck Thomas remembers his partner Sean Sluganski 1 year after his death
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Tuesday marks one year since McKeesport Officer Sean Sluganski was shot and killed while on duty.
His partner Chuck Thomas said he's alive because of Sluganski.
"He saved my life. That's the bottom line, he saved my life," Thomas said.
"Somebody was trying to hurt me and he got in the way for me," he added.
He had just returned from vacation and was working overtime when he and his partner Officer Sean Sluganski responded to a domestic call that turned into a deadly barrage of gunfire that killed Sluganski and injured Thomas. It's a horror he says he will never forget.
"I'll never get over it or be able to move on but I'm working towards moving forward," Thomas said.
While Thomas says he has healed physically, the emotional and mental damage left behind will never go away. The loss of his friend, who left behind a bright future, including a fiancée and a 1-year old daughter, is difficult to grasp.
"I miss the grin on his face, his smile, the late-night Instagram reels that he would send me. Just the conversations we had at work," Thomas said.
As the healing continues, Thomas is thankful to still be here to raise his daughter, something Sluganski will miss out on. Thomas says he and Sluganski talked a lot about raising their daughters, a dream that was shattered that fateful day.
"He was proud of his daughter, proud to have her, proud of his fiancée, proud to be the man he was. He worked hard every day to be it, a good man to his family. For him to be taken so abruptly ..."
Thomas says he doesn't know what the future holds for him as there is a lot of confusion and uncertainty. But one thing he knows for sure is he will always keep the memory of his brother in blue alive.
"His name shouldn't be going on the memorial wall on the North Shore or in the national wall in D.C. in May and we shouldn't be having this conversation," Thomas said.
"It's just upsetting that he's gone."
To honor Sluganski Tuesday, a memorial was unveiled at Renziehausen Park by fellow officers and a flag will be raised as the community vows to never forget the ultimate sacrifice Sluganski paid.