Photo Of Dead Houston Police? Officer Steve Perez Under Flag: Houston Police Dept. Asks Not To Share Picture


The Houston Police Department has turned to social media to ask that a photo of Steve Perez not be shared online, even though the photo of the dead police officer is already going viral online. The photo is described by the Houston Police as a photo of their “fallen hero draped in an American Flag,” and the Houston Police Department asked that out of respect for Perez’s family, folks should refrain from sharing the photo of Steve.

However, as seen on the Facebook page of Alan Howell, the photo of Perez is still published to Facebook, with a description accompanying the photo of Steve calling Perez an American hero. Perez’s body draped in the U.S. flag is resonating with Facebook users and those beyond the social media platform. The photo of Perez does not show any parts of the Houston officer’s body, but has been shared more than 3,000 times on Facebook alone, and has gotten more than 1,000 Facebook reactions. The photo of Perez will not appear in this article.

“Beneath this flag…lies the body of a true American Hero. A 30 year veteran Houston Police Officer, Sgt. Perez drowned in his patrol car while searching for victims of Hurricane Harvey. May you rest in peace brother…you are not forgotten.”

[Image by David J. Phillip/AP Images]

According to the Associated Press description of the featured photo above of Perez, the Houston police officer was attempting to help other people when Steve found himself in danger and drowned in the floodwaters. Perez drowned in floodwaters when he was trapped in his own patrol car beneath a highway underpass. Since Perez died in the line of service while responding to the emergency situations that Hurricane Harvey created, news of Steve’s death, which officials announced Tuesday, has spread far and wide beyond Houston.

The above undated photo of Perez was given to the public by the Houston Police Department, which displays Sgt. Perez at some point before his death. According to the description going viral with the Facebook photo, Perez was a 30-year veteran of the department; however, Perez was actually with the department for 34 years, according to the Associated Press description accompanying his photo. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo explained that Perez died on Tuesday helping others.

[Image by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

As seen in the tweet below, the Houston Police Department requested that the photo not be shared, but Perez is already being called a hero as his final photo goes viral. Perez’s wife warned him not to go, reports the Houston Chronicle.

[Featured Image by Houston Police Department/AP Images]

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