Committee approves bill named for Raleigh officer killed in Hedingham shooting
ON THIS COMING UP IN OUR NEWS,
STARTING AT 400 WRAL
>> WITHIN THE HOUR, A STATE
HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVED A BILL
NAMED FOR A RALEIGH POLICE
OFFICER WHO DIED IN LINE OF
DUTY. GABRIEL TOURIST WAS
KILLED IN THE HEADING HIM
SHOOTING IN 2022, HE WAS ON HIS
WAY TO WORK HOUSE BILL 137.
OR THE GAVE TOURS ACT WOULD
MAKE IT CLEARER IN STATE LAW
THAT AN OFFICER ON THEIR WAY TO
OR FROM WORK IS ELIGIBLE FOR
DEATH BENEFITS IF THEY DIE IN
THE LINE OF DUTY. WRAL'S HEIDI
KIRK JUST STEPPED OUT OF THAT
COMMITTEE MEETING. HEIDI, THIS
ISN'T THE FIRST TIME STATE
LAWMAKERS HAVE CONSIDERED A
BILL LIKE THIS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. ACTUALLY BACK
IN 2023, THE STATE HOUSE
ACTUALLY PASSED A SIMILAR BILL,
BUT IT GOT HELD UP IN THE
SENATE AND NOW THEY'RE HOPING
THAT HERE IN ROUND 2 THAT THEY
CAN MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE
HEADWAY. NOW, GO AHEAD AND TAKE
A LOOK AT YOUR SCREENS NOW.
THIS IS THE PERSON THAT THAT
BILL IS INSPIRED BY. THIS IS
FALL IN RALEIGH POLICE OFFICER
GABRIEL TORRES. HE WAS ON HIS
WAY TO WORK WHEN HE WENT TO
CHECK OUT SHOTS FIRED IN HIS
NEIGHBORHOOD AND WAS GUNNED
DOWN. NOW, STATE LAW DOESN'T
CURRENTLY OFFER DEATH BENEFITS
TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON
THEIR WAY TO OR FROM WORK.
NOW HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE
ABLE TO WIN A DEATH BENNETT
THAT CLAIM, BUT ONLY AFTER A
TWO-YEAR LEGAL BATTLE. NOW THIS
BILL, WHICH IS DEEMED THE GABE
TORRES ACT WOULD MAKE IT
CLEARER IN STATE LAW THAT AN
OFFICER ON THEIR WAY TO AND
FROM WORK ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
DEATH BENEFITS IF THEY DIE IN
THE LINE OF DUTY
>> AND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK
YOU TO PLEASE, LET'S CORRECT
THIS FOR ALL OF OUR PUBLIC
SAFETY OFFICERS WHO PUT
THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY EVERY
DAY FOR US WHO ARE NEVER
ACTUALLY OFF DUTY.
AND ARE ALWAYS READY TO
RESPOND. WHEN CRISIS HITS, NO
MATTER WHERE THEY ARE.
>> NOW, OF COURSE, THERE ARE
STILL MANY MORE STEPS AHEAD
OF THIS BILL NEXT. IT'S GOING
TO HEAD TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
OF APPROPRIATIONS WILL CONTINUE
TO FOLLOW THIS AND BRING YOU
COVERAGE IN OUR LATER