SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Police Department will take to the skies to honor a fallen detective killed in 2016.
San Antonio Police Department’s newest EAGLE aircraft will take to the sky in honor of fallen SAPD Detective Benjamin Marconi.
An SAPD EAGLE helicopter, inked with Marconi’s initials and part of his badge number on the aircraft’s tale, will fly in honor of fallen Detective Benjamin Marconi.
EAGLE are the helicopters used to help SAPD officers on the ground in their investigations.
“These aircrafts were so instrumental in finding the person responsible for his death,” said Jacy Reeves, Marconi’s daughter. “That we are just so happy that a part of him will always be watching over and in the sky and contributing to catch bad guys.”
The new helicopter, named “Bravo Mike,” was dedicated Wednesday morning with Marconi’s family present.
Marconi was a 21-year veteran with SAPD and a detective with the Special Victims Unit. He had picked up an overnight patrol shift on Nov. 20, 2016, when he was shot twice in front of public safety headquarters downtown.
The seemingly random shooting in front of the Public Safety Headquarters downtown sent shockwaves, and eventually, Otis McKane was arrested in connection with the shooting.
McKane was convicted of killing Marconi, and a jury sentenced him to the death penalty.
On Wednesday, a tradition of honoring the lives of fallen officers took place.
The pilots of “Bravo Mike” said it was an honor to carry Detective Marconi’s legacy through flight.
“I really hope they realize that we are memorializing them in such a great way and that we will never forget the sacrifices that they gave and us as their brothers and sisters together, we will always remember them as we fly around the city,” said Natalie Hernandez, an SAPD helicopter pilot.