PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — Pierce County Deputy Cooper Dyson "truly loved being a deputy," his father, Brad Cooper, said Dec. 24.
Though he knew the dangers of the job, Cooper had a smile on his face every day he put on his uniform, Brad Cooper said.
"Home was here in Pierce County," Brad said. "His dream job was working for the Pierce County Sheriff's Department."
Cooper kept a Bible in his patrol car and would pray before starting each shift.
According to his father, Cooper's favorite holiday was Christmas. His 3-year-old son was at the age where he recognized the presents under the tree were for him.
Brad Cooper's comments came less than a week before a memorial service for his son at the Tacoma Dome.
On the morning of Dec. 21, deputies responded to a home on 113th Street South for reports of a man that assaulted his developmentally-disabled 6-year-old sister.
Shortly after arriving at the residence, the two responding deputies radioed that they were fighting with a suspect and needed backup. The sheriff’s department said the deputies believed the suspect was trying to access a shotgun that was in the house.
Deputy Cooper Dyson was responding to the scene when he lost control of his patrol car and was killed.
The support Cooper Dyson's family received from the community since Cooper was killed is the "very reason why Cooper wanted to serve all of us," his father said.
"We cannot describe the overwhelming love we've received ..." he said.
Dyson served with the department since 2018.
He is survived by his pregnant wife and their 3-year-old son.
A memorial service for Dyson will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30 at the Tacoma Dome. The service is open to the public.