Loved Ones Remember Fallen Officer

Family, friends, co-workers and complete strangers paid tribute to officer Karl McDonough Monday evening.

The patrolman was killed nearly a week ago after investigators say a 19-year-old suspected drunken driver slammed into the patrol unit McDonough and his partner were in.

ABC-7 spoke with several people who attended the visitation. They said McDonough always wanted to help the community, especially children.

“This is pretty much a tragedy for all of us,” said Jemal Nelson. McDonough was one of his best friends at Hanks High School.

Nelson said the two had reconnected about 10 years ago and were supposed to reunite in El Paso this month.

Nelson and another friend made it, “but unfortunately it’s for all the wrong reasons now,” he explained.

It was a heartbreaking final farewell for the friends who embraced and wiped tears from their eyes.

McDounough was a friend to many. “He was a character. He was a fun-loving guy. He reached out to everybody. He was the light in every room when he walked in,” Nelson said.

Coworker Yolanda Recovo said, “He was a very genuine person, friendly, happy, a good friend.”

McDonough was also a U.S. Army veteran and a police officer.

“You can’t but feel for the officer, especially his family and all of his colleagues,” said Robert Almonte, as he choked back tears.

Almonte is a U.S. Marshal and a retired El Paso police deputy chief. He said sadly this is part of the job. “Men and women of the El Paso Police Department and all law enforcement put their lives on the line everyday. You just don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Almonte.

McDonough died in the line of duty early Wednesday morning. According to court documents, Alejandro Fierro admitted he had been drinking and ran a red light at Saul Kleinfeld Dr. and Zaragoza Rd. when he slammed into the police unit McDonough was in.

“What he always talked about was being a police officer and that was something he just wanted to do,” Recovo said.

A life of service tragically cut short.

“I love him, I love his family and it won’t be another ten years before I come down to be able to see them again,” Nelson said.

McDonough’s funeral will be at noon Tuesday at Saint Mark Catholic Church on Pebble Hills Blvd.

He will then be buried at Fort Bliss Cemetery.