Fighting through tears, fallen Selma Police Officer Gonzalo Carrasco Jr.'s father shares how his son told him he'd make an impact on this world.
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The 24-year-old policeman was commemorated at the Peace Officer Memorial on Thursday morning.
One-by-one, members of Officer Carrasco's family placed a rose by his freshly engraved name.
Several law enforcement agencies were also there to honor the fallen officer.
"I heartened and thankful that we take these opportunities to better come to grips with the dangerous reality that our officers face each and every day," Selma Police Chief Rudy Alcaraz said.
Carrasco is the 64th officer to have their name engraved at this memorial site at Courthouse Park in Downtown Fresno.
On January 31, 2023, Officer Carrasco was patrolling Pine Street when he pulled over to check on a suspicious man in the area.
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Neighbors told the 24-year-old Selma officer, the suspect, Nathaniel Dixon, was standing in the yard of a home he didn't live in.
Investigators say when Carrasco made his way towards Dixon, Dixon fired several shots at Carrasco. The officer was taken to Community Regional Medical Center where he later died.
His death came just one month before his son Max was born.
Karla Alvarez, the mother of Carrasco's child and a Dinuba officer, says she'll always remember Carrasco's kindness and his passion for life.
"Knowing how he was and knowing that law enforcement was his passion. And I know it's like bittersweet but I would love for him to know that I am proud of him. I am," Alvarez said.
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