PLACER COUNTY —
“I loved Mike Davis. I did. That’s all.”
Fighting back tears, Placer County Sheriff Ed Bonner says it’s as simple as that. Love. That’s what he and many feel today, reminiscing one year ago to a day he calls Placer County’s JFK moment.
“Everyone remembered where they were when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Everybody that works in the Placer County Sheriff’s Department today remembers exactly where they were when they heard the news,” Bonner said.
It was news that their deputy, Michael Davis Jr. and Sacramento County Deputy Daniel Oliver were shot and killed in the line of duty.
“Well you think, ’how is that happening here?’ Auburn, this tiny community.”
Stacey Zeigler lives in the neighborhood where Davis was killed. She remembers that fateful day well. She says it’s hard to forget.
“I was stopped at the bottom of one of our local streets and told to just leave, get out get out,” said Zeigler.
Davis died right in front of Hank Gonzales’ home. He put together this memorial.
“I live right there, it’ll be here as long as I’m around. It’s something that should be done. And that’s why it was done,” said Gonzales.
Deputies paid their respects here before heading to Newcastle Cemetery for a private ceremony with Davis’ family.
Flowers were left at Oliver’s memorial bench as well this morning, dedicated to him with a tribute just weeks ago.
“He gave the ultimate sacrifice and I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Painful as today may be, Sheriff Bonner says these two heroes are celebrated, not mourned.
