WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) spoke on the Senate floor to honor the life of Jason Shuping, a Concord, North Carolina Police Officer who was killed in the line of duty last week.
Watch a video of the speech here.
Transcript:
I rise today to honor the life and service of Concord, North Carolina police officer Jason Shuping, who was tragically killed in the line of duty this week.
Officer Shuping was only 25 years old and had served the Concord Police Department for one and a half years with honor and distinction.
Officer Shuping and Officer Kaleb Robinson were responding to a 9-1-1 call for a car crash and an attempted carjacking.
Officers Shuping and Robinson located the suspect and were prepared to bring him to justice.
However, when Officer Shuping, Officer Robinson, and a third A.L.E. officer approached, the suspect immediately began opening fire. Officers Shuping and Robinson were both shot. Additional officers arrived on the scene and took out the suspect.
While Officer Robinson is fortunately expected to make a recovery, Officer Shuping tragically passed away from his injuries.
Jason Shuping was an outstanding police officer who courageously ran to danger to protect the residents of Concord.
He was also a loving son and a husband to his wife Haylee. He was active in his community since his childhood. He attended East Rowan High School in Salisbury, and he was an honors student and track and field athlete at UNC-Pembroke.
He was a young man with a bright future ahead of him, described by those who knew him as a “gentle soul who made an impact.”
His hometown paper, the Salisbury Post noted, “Whether it was staying after practice to provide coaching to a youngster or coming back home from college to play the handbell in his church’s ensemble, you could always count on Jason Shuping.”
It is no surprise to see the outpouring of love coming from the community of Concord to honor his life and service. There has been a candlelight vigil and a touching law enforcement escort that brought many residents and a long line of American flags proudly displayed.
As we gather with our families this Christmas, my thoughts and prayers will be with the family of Officer Shuping, as well as the families of Mount Holly Police Officer Tyler Herndon and Nash County Deputy Sheriff Jared Allison, who also lost their lives this month in the line of duty.
Those families are going through an unimaginable period of grief, but they should know that the people of North Carolina are forever grateful for the selfless service of their loved ones. And I will never forget the ultimate sacrifice they made in answering the call to protect others.
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