WHITEHALL (WCMH) – Wednesday marked the 15th anniversary of the death of Terry McDowell. The Whitehall Police Officer was shot and killed serving a traffic citation in 2001.
Dozens of people met Wednesday night to remember the man that touched the lives of so many.
Seth McDowell will never forget Aug. 24, 2001.
“I remember the exact day. I remember saying my final goodbyes,” said McDowell, Terry’s son. That’s the day his dad was shot and killed when Seth was just 8 years old.
“You know I woke up and I said it just seems like it was yesterday,” he said.
Wednesday night, on the 15th anniversary of his death, dozens of people met at the Whitehall memorial in Terry’s honor, including his widow Angie.
“How ironic that as we gather here now that this is about the same time that my life would change forever,” she told the crowd.
Eric Brill was serving the citation with McDowell that day.
“It’s just like yesterday,” said Brill.
McDowell was hit when the husband of a woman they were serving a citation to shot through the front door of the home without warning.
Brill was shot in the face, but survived.
“Unfortunately, it was an ambush and unfortunately it was a no-win situation,” said Brill. He said Terry was a great person, dad and husband.
“Still feel the sadness. Every year we come here to remember our friend,” he said.
Today Seth is a law enforcement officer, just like his dad.
“To carry on my father’s legacy is kind of my goal and this is the reason I stepped up to the plate,” he said. Seth is a Deputy with the Union County Sheriff’s Department.
Angie runs Get Behind the Badge, an organization that gives immediate financial assistance to other widows of fallen officers and firefighters.
To learn more go to: http://www.getbehindthebadge.org/What others are clicking on: