Rookie police officer killed on duty — like his dad was 18 years earlier

PHOENIX — Joshua Briese grew up in Montana wanting to work in law enforcement, just like his dad. He wasn’t deterred even after his father died while on duty at age 38 in 2006.

“I actually had to try and talk him out of it a few times, but he had his heart set,” Capt. Kent O’Donnell of the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office in Billings, Montana, told azfamily.com. “He wanted to be a police officer and just wanted to make his dad proud.”

Briese did just that, recently joining the Gila River Police Department, south of Phoenix, as a tribal police officer. He was still in field training and had been with the department for less than a year when he died Saturday while on duty, just like his dad.

“They’re probably driving around patrolling up there in heaven together,” O’Donnell said, “and it makes us smile a little bit knowing that they’re together again.”

The 23-year-old was fatally shot in the pre-dawn hours Saturday while responding to a reported disturbance at a house party, according to the Gila River Indian Community.

Tribal council leaders quickly passed a temporary ban Saturday night on all house parties in the community.

Police said multiple gunshots were fired, striking Briese and another tribal police officer. The second officer was seriously injured but survived, police said.

Four other people were also wounded, according to police, including one who later died. The other victims weren’t immediately identified.

The FBI in Phoenix said two suspects in the shooting, a man and a boy, were in custody, but no other information has been released.

O’Donnell said he had spoken to Briese — known as “Joshie” by friends and family — just a few weeks ago.

“I’m sad I’m not going to get to see him grow up because he had a very good future,” O’Donnell told the news station.

In a separate statement, the Yellow County Sheriff’s Office said both Briese and his father, David, “left this world serving their community and doing what they loved.”

David Briese, a Yellowstone County deputy, was killed in November 2006 in a car crash while on his way to provide backup for an officer who was dealing with a combative impaired driver.