On Sunday, April 14, 2024, a sheriff’s deputy and a police officer died after an unidentified suspect opened fire on them as they investigated a report of a suspicious vehicle in Salina, New York. According to officials, the Sunday night gunfire exchange also resulted in the death of the suspect.
The fallen officers, later identified as Syracuse Police Department Officer Michael Jensen and Lt. Michael Hoosock with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, were among a group of investigators looking into a suspicious vehicle in the area.
The vehicle allegedly fled from officers at a traffic stop hours earlier, according to Syracuse Police. Afterward, investigators tracked the car to a residence at Darien Drive. The deadly scene played out in front of a house in the Syracuse suburb of Salina before 9 p.m.
Upon entering the address, the suspect opened fire, leading to a firefight, police reports say. After the deadly shootout, authorities identified the suspect as Christopher R. Murphy, 33. They transported Jensen and Hoosock to the hospital, where practitioners pronounced them deceased, police said.
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“We lost two heroes tonight,” said Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile during a news conference early Monday. “Two men who answered the call to duty put on the badge to protect the community, protect and serve. We lost two of them tonight.”
Cecile also revealed that the tragic incident stemmed from a traffic stop over reports of a stolen vehicle. He said the slain Syracuse cop and his partner initially made a traffic stop of a suspicious car in the city. However, the vehicle quickly fled the scene.
When the suspicious vehicle did not stop, the officers got the license plate number. According to authorities, they tracked it to a home in the Liverpool community in Salina. Law enforcement from the city and Onondaga County arrived and saw what looked to be guns inside the car.
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Furthermore, they heard noises that sounded like a person was “manipulating a firearm” inside the home, Cecile said. “Moments later, there was an exchange of gunfire between at least one suspect and the officers and the deputies,” he added.
“This is a dark day for Syracuse. This is our worst nightmare come true,” Mayor Ben Walsh said at a press conference. “Our thoughts right now are with the families of those two officers, two heroes, and if anyone knows the family member of a police officer, give them a hug.”
Walsh added, “This is their worst nightmare, and we just need to be there for everyone in the law enforcement community today.” The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and police are still reviewing body-worn cameras, ballistics, and other evidence.
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The New York State Attorney General’s office will also assist in the probe. Cecile told reporters that Jensen, who his parents and sister survive, worked with the police department for over two years. Hoosock, a married father of three, joined the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office in 2007.
According to reports, Hoosock received multiple commendations and medals for his service, including the Medal of Valor in 2020. Furthermore, Ryan McMahon, an Onondaga County executive, said he also served as a volunteer firefighter.
“This was just an incredible human being,” McMahon said at a news conference. “And as the mayor, the sheriff, and Chief Cecil have alluded to, right now, our community’s in shock, and we’re in pain.”
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