UCCS police officer Garrett Swasey remembered for courage and faith

University of Colorado Colorado Springs police officer Garrett Swasey, 44, was killed by Colorado Planned Parenthood shooter Robert Lewis Dear on Friday. Swasey was married with two children.

"It is with great sadness that I share that the tragic events today at the offices of Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs have touched the campus of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.

"A UCCS police officer, Garrett Swasey (pronounced /Sway’zee/), 44, responded in support of Colorado Springs Police to the active shooter situation at about 11:50 a.m. Friday. He was killed in the line of duty.

"UCCS officers are sworn, state-certified police officers. Officer Swasey was on duty at the campus and responded in support of Colorado Springs Police.

"Officer Swasey was a six-year veteran of the UCCS Police Department.

"UCCS is working with Officer Swasey’s family and continues to support the Colorado Springs Police Department at the shooting scene," Pam Shockley Zalabak, chancellor
University of Colorado Colorado Springs, said.

Swasey is being remember by family and friends as a courageous man and loving father. As the co-pastor at Hope Chapel in Colorado Springs, Swasey drew strength and inspiration from his Christian faith.

“Here’s a guy who worked full time as a police officer, and then gave a great amount of time to his local church and didn’t get a dime for it. He did it because it was the thing that he felt he needed to do," Scott Dontanville, Swasey's co-pastor and friend for 15 years, said.

Officer Swasey was once a nationally ranked figure skater and ice dancer who moved to Colorado Springs several years ago to train.

Following the deadly shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colo., police officers formed a procession of vehicles to honor Swasey.