A Wayne State University police officer who was shot in the head Tuesday has died.
Canine officer Collin Rose died shortly before 6 p.m. at Detroit Receiving Hospital. He was reportedly surrounded by friends, family and more than 100 other police officers. Rose had been on life support following surgery late last night.
According to Fox 2 Detroit, Rose had been investigating thefts of navigation systems in the area. He had radioed in to stop to talk to someone on a bicycle at Brainard and Lincoln streets, which is located off Wayne State’s campus.
A five year veteran of the Wayne State police force, Rose, 29, was engaged to be married and considered one of the top K-9 handlers in the state. He graduated from Ferris State university.
There is a person of interest who was apprehended Tuesday night with the cooperation of multiple local and federal agencies. We are not including his name as he has not been formally charged as of this writing, but the Detroit News reports that the man has had “violent contact” with Wayne State officers in 2011 and 2014.
A statement sent by Wayne State University president Roy Wilson to the campus community reads in part:
This is a tragedy felt by all of us — Collin and his family and friends, his fiancée, and our campus and community.
Please keep Collin and his fiancée and family in your thoughts and prayers. Collin served Wayne State with distinction, and we owe those he left behind our deepest sympathies and our strong support.
Please keep all our police officers in your thoughts as well. Collin is the first and only Wayne State officer ever to fall in the line of duty. Our officers mourn with us, but these dedicated, professional men and women continue to serve us courageously, every day. We can honor Collin’s memory best with our ongoing gratitude and support for all of our officers.
The Detroit Police Department shared this on Facebook:
This is the first officer that has been killed on the job in the history of Wayne State University’s police department. WSU police officers are commissioned by the city of Detroit and have full police powers. The department was formed in 1966.
