Flagstaff Police Department, Arizona
End of Watch: Wednesday, June 21, 2000
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: 10
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 21, 2000
Weapon Used: Handgun; .22 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Police Officer Jeff Moritz was shot and killed after responding to a noise complaint in an upscale neighborhood during the early morning hours.
Several residents had called the police to report that a pickup truck was repeatedly being driven up and down the street with loud music emanating from the truck. Officer Moritz responded and stopped the pickup truck. Several minutes later, he made an emergency broadcast that he had been shot. A total of five shots were fired at Officer Moritz from a .22 caliber handgun.
Several neighbors administered CPR and Officer Moritz was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was wearing a bulletproof vest but one round struck him in the left shoulder, severing an artery. Despite being wounded, Officer Moritz was able to return fire at the suspect.
The 17-year-old suspect fled the scene but was identified. He was later arrested after a short foot pursuit. The suspect was deemed competent to stand trial and was convicted of first degree murder on September 3, 2003. The suspect was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. On January 22, 2019, he was ordered freed or retried because evidence of his mental illness was withheld at his trial.
Officer Moritz had served with the Flagstaff Police Department for 4 years. He was survived by his expectant wife and two-year-old son. His second son was born months after Officer Moritz's death.