HOUSTON — Some of the Houston Police officers shot in the line of duty Monday may have lifelong injuries.
It’s something a former partner of one of them knows a lot about. Veteran officer Ronny Cortez was shot four times nearly two years ago.
“I was shot once in the butt, once in the back, and I got grazed in the back of the head,” said Cortez while on his way into an MRI Tuesday afternoon.
Cortez is now confined to a wheelchair, but he wouldn’t think twice about wearing a uniform again.
“You want to help people, you want to protect people, you want to be the protector,” Cortez said. “And that’s just the way it is.”
Cortez’s career ended in February of 2017 as he pursued burglary suspects in a southwest Houston neighborhood. We’ve followed his progress as he fights to regain use of his legs.
Cortez knows those injured this week will have a lot of fighting to do, too, including one officer with whom he was partnered as a young rookie.
“Anytime it happens in Houston, it’s a little closer to home,” Cortez said. “The possibility of me knowing the people is a lot greater and, unfortunately, I happened to know a few of the officers involved in this shooting here.”
Sheri Cortez, Ronny’s wife of more than 20 years, posted her thoughts on Facebook. They included concerns about the dangers officers continually face.
“I’m tired of seeing officers shot and the next day we all just move on,” said Sheri Cortez. “It’s just become commonplace.”
She said she knows first-hand the important of a good support system after a traumatic incident. That‘s something a few more HPD families will now be needing.
“Breathe and take it one day at a time,” Sheri Cortez said. “Because you will be affected by it for the rest of your life.”
She’s prayerful Ronny Cortez’s prognosis improves as their lives move on.
For more information on the HPD Family Support Unit, tap/click here.