Thousands gather to honor fallen King County deputy
Governor Gregoire called slain King County Deputy Steve Cox a role model, an inspiration, a hero and a superman.She spoke at his funeral today at a SeaTac church."He was the embodiment of the best of public service," she said. "As a deputy prosecutor, as a sheriff's deputy, and as a community activist, he never stopped believing and working to the betterment of his community."King County Sheriff Sue Rahr told the mourners that no one will be able to fill Steve's shoes but she says deputies have an obligation to keep his legacy alive by not letting down the people of White Center.That's where Cox was working early Saturday when he was shot while questioning a suspect.Thousands of officers from across the region joined families and friends for the service at the Christian Faith Center. A motorcade to the service Friday morning went through White Center and past the sheriff's station where a memorial of flowers had been placed.Mike Schemnitzer served as Steve's partner for the past 2 ½ years, and said working with Steve was the biggest honor of his life. "The only thing Steve loved more than protecting White Center was his family," he said while holding back tears. Schemnitzer said that patrolling the community with Steve was like riding around with a rock star. "People would yell his name at the car and wave, and when we got out people would crowd around because they wanted to talk to him.""He was more than just a partner and a friend," Schemnitzer said of Cox. "He was a legend." The 46-year-old Cox was a former deputy prosecuting attorney who became a police officer and joined the King County sheriff's office nine years ago.He was known as a "cop's cop" -- bigger than life and determined to clean up the streets he patrolled.But at home, he was a loving husband and a new father. The day before the memorial service his widow wanted to share memories of the man she loved and lost."There's no words. I cannot express exactly what I feel," said Maria Cox.Maria Cox says it feels like a part of her has been ripped away; the way any woman would feel when she's lost her husband."He had a mission," Maria Cox said. "He wanted White Center to become a decent area. He says 'it's going to be clean, it's going to be fixed and we are going to make that happen.' "Steve Cox was on that mission Saturday, investigating an assault outside a White Center home. Police say as the deputy questioned Raymond Porter -- a known gang member and convicted felon -- Porter shot Cox in the head.Friends and family say Porter's bullet took a dedicated cop, a devoted husband, and an excited new father. Just a few months ago, the couple adopted Bronson, a son who brought out the softer side of Steve."Bronson's going to know his Dad was a big, big man," Maria Cox said. "Not just a tall, beefy guy but he had a very large heart, very responsible."To many in the community he seemed bigger than life. But at home, Maria says he tried to protect her from the sometimes dark details of his job.So, she says, she never knew just how special he was on the streets."I didn't know my Superman was everybody else's Superman."Even though Maria Cox thought of her husband as Superman, she worried about him being out on the streets. So every night, she fell asleep to the chatter of a police scanner so she could hear his code name and know that he was OK.In what seems like a merciful twist, Friday night was the one night that she didn't have the scanner on. So she never heard the desperate call that there was an officer down. Our hearts are breaking for the Cox family.
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