Photo: Los Angeles Police Dept./Facebook
Amelia “Terry” Martinez, an LAPD Sergeant and mother of three, has died due toCOVID-19complications. She was 53.
On Tuesday, Martinez — who was assigned to Hollenbeck Division and had been with the department for over 27 years — succumbed to the novel respiratory illness, according to astatementfrom the Los Angeles Police Department released on Wednesday.
Martinez is the third LAPD officer and the fifth LAPD employee to die from COVID-19,NBC LAreported.
In the LAPD statement, Chief Michel Moore described Martinez as a “bright shining star” and said that her death “is a loss for not only her brothers and sisters here in the Department, but for the people of Los Angeles who she dedicated her life to protecting and serving.”
“Sergeant Martinez, we thank you for your service and you will be greatly missed,” he added. “May God welcome you home and may God bless the Los Angeles Police Department.”
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California Governor Gavin Newsom also issued astatementon Martinez’s death. “Jennifer and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Sergeant Martinez,” he wrote. “Her bravery, decades of selfless service to the people of Los Angeles and sacrifice will never be forgotten. We offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and members of the Los Angeles community as they grieve her loss.”
There have been at least 12,955 coronavirus-related deaths in the county since the start of the pandemic, according to theLos Angeles County Department of Public Health, with 281 fatalities reported on Wednesday evening alone.
There have also been 14,564 new cases of COVID-19 in the county, with 958,497 cases to date, and 7,949 individuals are currently hospitalized due to the virus, the Department of Health adds.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
