Veteran Everman Police Officer Alex Arango Dies After Contracting COVID-19 On-Duty
EVERMAN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - An Everman police officer who died Thursday and had COVID-19 is the first line of duty death in the department's history, according to the city police chief.
Alex Arango, 60, was exposed to the virus Sept. 28 when he was the primary officer on a call at a house that was later flagged as being the home of someone with the virus.
Chief Craig Spencer said Arango quarantined, then started feeling symptoms a few days later. He was hospitalized this month, and had been on a ventilator since Monday.
"Alex was a leader," Spencer said. "He was a mentor to so many officers. He was a mentor to myself."
Arango's family, who said his nickname was Law Dog, didn't fear the virus at all in performing his job.
"Nothing was going to slow down Law Dog," his daughter, Annette, said. "He said Law Dog don't fear nothing. He had a job to do. And he went out doing it."
Arango's sister said that their 81-year-old mother and his son-in-law had also contracted the virus and were hospitalized. She said his wife and daughter were recovering from their own bout with the virus.
Arango had been with the department for 27 years.
A patrol vehicle was set up outside the police department Thursday, where people were bringing flowers and cards to create a temporary memorial.
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