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Widow of slain Norfolk officer: ‘He is a hero’

Posted at 12:34 PM, Jun 03, 2014
and last updated 2014-06-03 18:32:23-04
(Scroll down for part 2 of the interview)

The widow of the Norfolk officer killed in shooting rampage fought through tears Tuesday morning to talk about her husband.

"He is a hero," said Rebekah Jones.  "I love him and I miss him so much."

Jones was shot to death Friday by James Andrew Brown during a shooting rampage.  Brown had also randomly shot and killed 17-year-old Mark Rodriguez.  Brown died after resisting arrest for the shooting spree.

"I know that if he could do things over he would do it the same. He would go, he would respond just the same, because that's how he was," said Jones' wife.

Officer Jones leaves behind three children.

"They miss their dad.  Our youngest doesn't understand. He just keeps asking when daddy's coming home from work," she said.  "I tell them every day your dad was a hero.  Your dad died a hero."

Mrs. Jones said her husband spent eight years in the Navy before becoming a Norfolk police officer.  She said he was inspired to become a police officer as teen by Kentucky deputy Roger Dale Lynch.  Lynch also died in the line of duty in 2005.

"My husband got down and he was inscribing Roger Lynch's name and he was crying," Rebekah explained of their trip to the police officer's memorial in Washington, D.C.  "My kids wanted to know why he was crying, and he told them the story about how Roger Lynch was a hero and he had made a big impact on his life."

Fellow police officers will have a memorial for Officer Jones Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Third Patrol Division on Ashbury Avenue.  The public is invited to join them after outside.

Services for fallen Norfolk officer to begin Wednesday