(Handout)
A 27-year veteran of the Cincinnati Police Department was gunned down in a shootout on the morning of June 19. That heroic cop has been named as 48-year-old Sonny Kim. Just prior to the attack, the suspect posted a goodbye message to Facebook.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Cincinnati’s Police Chief Called Him ‘One of Our Best’
Officers salute as CPD officer Sonny Kims body leaves UCMC http://t.co/aWqdnR0Ui6
Cincinnati Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell paid tribute to Kim saying “CPD lost one of our best today. We lost a brother. But right now my heart is broken more for his three boys who lost their father and his wife who lost her husband.” The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Kim emigrated to the U.S. in 1973 from South Korea. Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley said of the shooting “Today is a tragic day for all Cincinnatians. One of our first responders was shot and killed in the line of duty. We will always remember the sacrifice made by Officer Sonny Kim, and we will pray for his wife and family that they find some comfort during their grief.”
2. The Suspect Wrote a ‘Goodbye Message’ on Facebook Shortly Before the Shooting
(Facebook)
Another man was also killed in the shooting, reports WCPO. The other man is suspected of shooting Kim, said Chief Blackwell. That suspect has been named as Trepierre Hummons. On his Facebook page, just before the shooting, at around 9:30 a.m., Hummons wrote “I love every last one of y’all to whoever has been in my life …. You’re the real mvp.”
3. Kim Told a Karate Magazine in 2014 ‘Having an Assailant With a Firearm Will Put You Under Some Emotional & Physiological Duress’
According to his Facebook page, Kim was a martial arts enthusiast. A separate tribute page for Kim attracted over 200 likes in less than a minute. He was an instructor of Japanese Karate-Do for over 20 years, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer. In an interview with karate magazine The Shotokan Way, Kim said “In the USA, most of our police tactical training deals mainly with firearm encounters. Having an assailant with a firearm will put you under some emotional and physiological duress.”
4. Kim Once Rescued a Man Who Jumped Off of a Bridge
Sonny Kim pictured with his family in 2014. (Facebook)
Throughout his illustrious career, Kim received 22 commendations at the Cincinnati Police Department, reports WCPO. His record also included times when he helped to rescue a man who jumped from a bridge and catching a “serial aggravated burglar,” according to WCPO.
5. He’s the First Cincinnati Cop to Be Killed in 15 Years
(Facebook)
He’s the first Cincinnati cop to be killed in the line of duty since 2000 and the first to be shot dead since 1997.