Hours after two police officers were fatally shot in Iowa, a woman’s emotional effort to support police brought tears to a fellow officer’s eyes.
Des Moines television station KCCI captured the moment when a woman brought bottled water to mourning officers from the Urbandale Police Department.
An Urbandale officer, 24-year-old Justin Martin, and a Des Moines police sergeant, Anthony “Tony” Beminio, 46, were both killed by gunshots as they sat in their patrol vehicles about 2 miles apart early Wednesday.
Scott Michael Greene, 46, has been arrested in the apparent ambush killings.
Iowans were offering support for the two police departments in the wake of the deaths.
Video captured the moment one woman offered bottled water and supplies to an Urbandale officer. The clip was viewed more than 2.4 million times in the seven hours since KCCI posted it on Facebook Wednesday morning.
The woman was in tears as she told the officer the water and food was “the only thing” she knew to do to help.
“I want you to go home to your families because I want my dad to come home to me,” she said. “I’m sorry. And I’m here for you all. I don’t know how else to help.”
The officer embraced her. Tears ran down both of their faces.
“Your prayers are all we need,” he said.