Scottsdale Police Department, Arizona
End of Watch: Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: 24 years
Badge Number: 273
Cause of Death: Explosion
Date of Incident: February 20, 2002
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Sergeant Thomas Hontz was killed following a training exercise when a piece of equipment exploded at about 5:00 pm.
He was participating in a SWAT team training exercise at two vacant homes on the southwest corner of the intersection of Guadalupe Road and Higley Road in Gilbert. The training was nearing completion when a device used to puncture a wall and pump tear gas into a room exploded. Fourteen other officers and firefighters from several agencies were injured as a result of the explosion.
Sergeant Hontz had served with the Scottsdale Police Department for 24 years and was one of the officers responsible for the creation of the agency's SWAT team.
He is survived by his wife and three sons.