Police1 Staff
MISSION, Texas — More than 50 police officers from across the Rio Grande Valley filled the stands at a middle school football game to cheer on the son of one of their fallen brothers.
Joaquin Espericueta’s father, Jose “Speedy” Espericueta, was fatally shot responding to a call in June. The Washington Post reports that everyone who knew Jose Espericueta knew how much he was looking forward to seeing his son’s football debut.
Since Jose couldn’t be there, his brother officers sat in his place. Posts on social media show photographs of Mission city leaders and police officers standing with Joaquin on the football field and sitting with the Espericueta family in the stands, along with the hashtag #ThisIsForSpeedy.
https://twitter.com/CityOfMissionTX/status/1175527505538818054
“It was important for us as a law enforcement family to support Joaquin on his special day of his first football game,” Mission Police Chief Robert Dominguez told The Washington Post. “This was another first in his life, and we wanted to be there.”
Officers from MPD and other nearby agencies also came out to support Joaquin on his first day of seventh grade in August and brought him a gift basket for his birthday several weeks ago, according to the report.
“You could see the excitement on his face,” Dominguez told The Washington Post. “Not only him, but his entire family was appreciative.”
Dominguez told The Washington Post his department will continue to support Joaquin and his family. He also said some of Espericueta’s friends on the force have planned a cookout on what would have been his 45th birthday next month.
“It was a great tragedy for our officers,” Dominguez told The Washington Post. “We’re going to be there for family. It’s a healing process for all of us.”