Flag raising ceremony to be held for slain El Paso County Deputy Andrew Peery
A flag raising ceremony will be held on Friday in Colorado Springs to honor the life and service of El Paso County Deputy Andrew Peery. Peery was shot and killed in the line of duty over the weekend in the Widefield-Security area south of Colorado Springs. The person who shot him is believed to also have killed a woman before apparently killing himself.
The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. outside the sheriff's office at 27 East Vermijo Avenue.
The flag that will be raised will be used to drape Peery's coffin at his memorial service. The details of that service haven't been announced yet.
The shooting happened on Sunday night at a home in the 500 block of Ponderosa Drive. Peery, 39 was wounded after he arrived with two other law enforcement officers to investigate a report of a shooting. John Paz, 33, fired at the officers, hitting Peery, and another sheriff's deputy returned fire, police said.
Officers found the body of the woman in the home's front yard, police said. Paz died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Colorado Springs police, which is investigating the shooting, believe Paz also killed the woman. Her connection to Paz was still being investigated.
Paz worked at the U.S. Air Force Academy's airfield in the 94th Flying Training Squadron, which conducts glider training for cadets. He had been an aviation resource management technician there since December, school spokesperson Dean J. Miller said.
"Our condolences go out to all the friends and family affected by Sunday's incident," Miller said.
People lined up on Sunday to honor Peery as a hearse carrying his remains drove from a hospital to the coroner's office.
Gov. Jared Polis also expressed sympathy to the family of Peery, who was a decorated member of the sheriff's department's SWAT team.
"My thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Deputy Peery and all our neighbors in law enforcement who put their lives at risk to serve others," he said.
Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Republican who represents Colorado's 5th Congressional District, said in a Facebook post that he has a "heavy heart" following Peery's death. "The six-year veteran and SWAT team member made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty last night in Widefield, Colorado. I ask that you join me in prayer for Deputy Perry's family, our law enforcement officers, and their Families."
Donations to the family of the fallen law enforcement officer can made be through Chase Bank under the "Hugh Martin Fallen Officers Fund," with "Andrew Peery" on memo line. The sheriff's office says this is the only officially sanctioned fundraiser for Peery's family.
