The Peoria Police Department will host a meeting Wednesday between Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Deputy Ruben Garcia -- who was shot in the face in January while responding to a call -- and the two Peoria cops credited with saving his life.
One of those Peoria cops is Ryan Bakke, and the other is Pat Shearer, who made national news early last year for a photo on his Facebook page of a bunch of kids who'd just shot up a T-shirt depicting President Barack Obama.
See also:
-Peoria Cop Demoted for Picture of Freshly Shot-Up Obama T-Shirt on Facebook Page
-Barack Obama T-Shirt (Apparently) Blasted by Arizona Kids, from Cop Facebook Page
-Donald Miller ID'd as Shooter of MCSO Deputy Ruben Garcia
-MCSO Deputy in Critical Condition After Being Shot Several Times in Peoria
In January 2012, the Secret Service was "looking into" the photograph on Shearer's Facebook page captioned "Another trip to the ranch." Shearer, then a sergeant, was demoted by late February and was suspended for two weeks without pay.
In January of this year, Shearer and Bakke were the ones responding to the call of Garcia being shot in a parking lot near Deer Valley Road and 83rd Avenue.
Garcia, who's been with the MCSO for 29 years, pulled over Donald Miller, a 54-year-old Peoria resident, shortly after midnight on January 8 in relation to a call from a woman who feared for the safety of Miller.
Deputy Garcia pulled over Miller at a gas station, and Miller proceeded to shoot at Garcia, hitting him several times, including at least once in the face.
Miller ended up being killed after driving away and getting in another shootout with police a short time later.
According to a press release just issued by the Peoria PD, "Once [Bakke and Shearer] reached Garcia, they worked to both comfort the severely injured deputy and provided him with the immediate medical attention that later would be credited for saving his life."
According to Peoria PD, Garcia wants to thank Bakke and Shearer on Wednesday for saving his life.
Shearer also received a medal of honor from the department in 2007, as he and another officer "placed themselves into harm's way" by rescuing a driver who was surrounded by burning vehicles, according to a PD report.
Send feedback and tips to the author.
Follow Matthew Hendley on Twitter at @MatthewHendley.