Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

John Chell told reporters following
the annual State of the
NYPD Breakfast at Cipriani 42nd
St., about five blocks from where
the attack took place. “(They’re)
cowards. You have eight people
attacking a lieutenant and a cop,
running up to them to kick them
in the face.”
ARK. OFFICER DIES FOLLOW-
ING MEDICAL EMERGENCY
By Joanna Putman, Police1
SHANNON HILLS, AR. — A Shannon
Hills Police Department officer
has died following a medical
emergency, according to the
Officer Down Memorial Page.
Officer Michael Cain Maxheimer
helped a disabled motorist
push a car out of the roadway
on December 18, 2023. He then
responded to a vicious animal
complaint, where two stray dogs
approached him as if they were
going to attack, according to
ODMP.
Maxheimer drew his gun in
preparation to confront the dogs,
but the dogs ran into the woods.
He returned to the police station,
where he complained of nausea
and chest pain. He was admitted
to a hospital where he passed
away the following day, according
to ODMP.
Maxheimer was 39 years old
and had served in the Shannon
Hills Police Department for three
years. He had served in law enforcement
for 16 years in many
different departments. He is
survived by three daughters and
his girlfriend, according to his
obituary.
2 FLORIDA OFFICERS
WOUNDED IN GUNFIGHT WITH
MURDER SUSPECT
The 24-year-old man killed after
shooting two Palm Bay police
officers and fatally wounding his
grandfather Sunday was driving
a car packed with a cache
of handguns and other weapons
that may have been part of a
bigger, planned attack, the Palm
Bay police chief said.
The car, seized by police after
the shootout that left gunman
Brandon Kapas dead, was
tracked to its owners, retired
Catholic priest Robert Hoeffner
and his sister, Sally Hoeffner.
Both were shot to death by Kapas
earlier in their northwest Palm
Bay home, Police Chief Mariano
Augello said at a Monday press
conference.
“It’s unknown what his intentions
were, showing up with an
arsenal of weapons,” Augello
said.
“Our officers’ actions yesterday
prevented something even more
tragic from happening.”
Palm Bay patrol officers were
called about 2:07 p.m. Sunday to
the Kapas family home, Florida
Today reports.
Augello said officers arrived
about 2:19 p.m. and immediately
met with an uncle who told
them Kapas, his nephew, was in
the home being disruptive during
a family birthday celebration. The
uncle told police that Kapas was
possibly armed. At that moment,
Kapas stepped out of the home
and quickly began walking away
“as Palm Bay officers attempted
to talk with him,” Augello said.
An officer tased Kapas and
got into a brief struggle before
Kapas reached for his handgun
and fired at police, the chief said.
Officers Stephen Ball and Nicholas
Franze were shot, one in the
arm and the other in the leg.
The gunman’s grandfather,
William Kapas Sr., attempted
to intervene but was shot and
killed by the suspect, Augello
said.
“The grandfather was trying to
help,” the chief said.
Officers returned fire in response,
killing Kapas.
Auguello spent time Monday
visiting the wounded officers,
one of whom was recovering
from surgery and the other, who
was set to be released.
MAN WHO RAMMED, IN-
JURED TEXAS OFFICER DE-
PLOYING SPIKES GETS LIFE
A man who intentionally
rammed into a Fort Worth police
officer trying to stop a vehicle
pursuit by deploying spikes was
sentenced to life in prison on
Monday.
Officer Matthew Brazeal suffered
serious injuries when Ronnie
Jackson mowed him down in
June 2020.
Jackson was found guilty of
hitting Brazeal in a collision that
had him dragging the officer
more than 100 feet.
Brazeal was hospitalized for
several weeks and continues
54 The Blues - February ‘24