Jefferson County Sheriff unveils memorial statue for K-9 officer shot while pursuing suspect
Graffit served alongside Deputy Zachary Oliver, not only as a fellow officer, but as a family member.
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The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday unveiled a statue of slain K-9 officer Graffit, who was killed in 2023 near the Colorado School of Mines in Golden while pursuing a suspect.
Graffit, a 10-year-old German shepherd, was killed in the line of duty on Feb. 13, 2023, while he and other deputies were pursuing a suspect near the campus when the suspect shot him.
Graffit served alongside Deputy Zachary Oliver, not only as a fellow officer but as a family member. Oliver credited Graffit with saving several lives the day he died.
“This memorial stands not only as a symbol of Graffit’s bravery and service but also as a reflection of the overwhelming support we’ve received,” Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on X. “From the generous community contributions that funded this project, to the gifted artist and dedicated builder who brought it to fruition — thank you.”
The suspect, Eduardo Armando Romero, 31, pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals, identity theft, menacing, driving under the influence and second-degree motor vehicle theft on Feb. 22, 2024, as part of a plea deal and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Charges of vehicular eluding, first-degree vehicle theft, resisting arrest and obstructing a peace officer were dismissed in the deal.
The sentence will be served consecutively to another sentence Romero is already serving in Denver, according to a release from the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
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