Officer Stephan Gray was shot after pulling over a vehicle in his unmarked patrol car in the 1900 block of Glen Avenue in central Merced at 7:23 p.m. The seven-year veteran of the department, assigned to the special operations unit, worked on street-level narcotics and gang violence suppression.
Gray made contact with a male passenger of the vehicle, 21-year-old Tahua "Tao" Rivera.
Witnesses at the scene said they talked for some time, but when Gray attempted to search him, the suspect was able to break free and a short foot chase began. After several yards the suspect turned and opened fire on Officer Gray, striking him twice. Officer Gray was transported to Mercy Community Campus Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Rivera had a criminal history dating back to October of 2000 when he was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He stayed at the Merced County Jail until March 2001. He was booked again in August of 2001 and was once again jailed until March of 2002 for being in possession of a controlled substance. He was then sent to state prison.
Rivera's mother, 43-year-old Erika Rivera, who was known to have had contact with her son after the shooting was arrested for aiding and abetting and as an accessory and was booked in the Merced County jail, with bail set at $500,000.
The multi-jurisdictional task force that had worked day and night to apprehend "Tao" Rivera, were rewarded when he was arrested outside the town of Chowchilla 17 days later by agents from the State Department of Justice and Federal Immigration..
Officer Gray had served with the Merced Police Department for 7 years, and was assigned to the Special Operations Unit to combat narcotics and gangs.
Stephan Gray was remembered by his peers as an outgoing, good spirited professional who related well to his community. He loved to stop and talk to people, especially young people. He cared, helped them with their problems and served as a role model.
On the morning of April 21 St. Patricks Catholic Church was filled beyond capacity with more than 2,000 people; family, friends, civic officials and uniformed peace officers from a myriad of jurisdictions, all paying their final respects to a real hero. Attorney General Bill Lockyer was present, as he always is at law enforcement funerals, offering condolences on behalf of the people of our Great State. Michelle Gray, widow of the fallen officer eulogized her husband thusly, "Someone asked me if Stephan was a hero for the way he died. I had to tell her Stephan was a hero for the way he lived".
A Motorcade of more than 300 police vehicles escorted the flag draped coffin and remains of a brother officer to his final resting-place.
His wife Michelle, daughters Landess, age 13, Cameron, age 3 and son Isaiah, age 5 survive Officer Gray.
Officer Gray is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel 32-E, Line 24.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary, Merced Sun Star:
Stephan Gene Gray, 34, of Merced passed away on April 15, 2004, in Merced.
He was born on Aug. 21, 1969, in Tulare, where he lived in his youth. He was a resident of Merced for the past seven years, where he worked as a police officer for the Merced Police Department. Stephan was a very loving and giving father who spent all of his spare time with his children and he loved helping other small children. He loved being a police officer and was a tropical fish enthusiast. He also loved to scuba dive and snorkel in the warm waters of the ocean.
Stephan is survived by his wife, Michelle D. Gray, his son, Isaiah Aaron Gray, his two daughters, Cameron Michelle Gray and Landess Corjae Gray, all of Merced; his brothers, Andrew Gray of London, England and Tony Gray of Santa Rosa; his sister, Rosalyn Gray of Hanford; his mother, Lonather Gray of Hanford; his father, Andrew Gray of Visalia; his grandmothers, Clonia Shaver and Charlie Mae Gray, both of Tulare; and his in-laws; as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A visitation will be held from noon until 7 p.m. today at Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 21, at St. Patrick's Church in Merced.
Remembrances may be sent to Officer Stephan Gray Memorial Fund, C/O County Bank in Merced.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced.
Gray made contact with a male passenger of the vehicle, 21-year-old Tahua "Tao" Rivera.
Witnesses at the scene said they talked for some time, but when Gray attempted to search him, the suspect was able to break free and a short foot chase began. After several yards the suspect turned and opened fire on Officer Gray, striking him twice. Officer Gray was transported to Mercy Community Campus Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Rivera had a criminal history dating back to October of 2000 when he was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He stayed at the Merced County Jail until March 2001. He was booked again in August of 2001 and was once again jailed until March of 2002 for being in possession of a controlled substance. He was then sent to state prison.
Rivera's mother, 43-year-old Erika Rivera, who was known to have had contact with her son after the shooting was arrested for aiding and abetting and as an accessory and was booked in the Merced County jail, with bail set at $500,000.
The multi-jurisdictional task force that had worked day and night to apprehend "Tao" Rivera, were rewarded when he was arrested outside the town of Chowchilla 17 days later by agents from the State Department of Justice and Federal Immigration..
Officer Gray had served with the Merced Police Department for 7 years, and was assigned to the Special Operations Unit to combat narcotics and gangs.
Stephan Gray was remembered by his peers as an outgoing, good spirited professional who related well to his community. He loved to stop and talk to people, especially young people. He cared, helped them with their problems and served as a role model.
On the morning of April 21 St. Patricks Catholic Church was filled beyond capacity with more than 2,000 people; family, friends, civic officials and uniformed peace officers from a myriad of jurisdictions, all paying their final respects to a real hero. Attorney General Bill Lockyer was present, as he always is at law enforcement funerals, offering condolences on behalf of the people of our Great State. Michelle Gray, widow of the fallen officer eulogized her husband thusly, "Someone asked me if Stephan was a hero for the way he died. I had to tell her Stephan was a hero for the way he lived".
A Motorcade of more than 300 police vehicles escorted the flag draped coffin and remains of a brother officer to his final resting-place.
His wife Michelle, daughters Landess, age 13, Cameron, age 3 and son Isaiah, age 5 survive Officer Gray.
Officer Gray is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel 32-E, Line 24.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary, Merced Sun Star:
Stephan Gene Gray, 34, of Merced passed away on April 15, 2004, in Merced.
He was born on Aug. 21, 1969, in Tulare, where he lived in his youth. He was a resident of Merced for the past seven years, where he worked as a police officer for the Merced Police Department. Stephan was a very loving and giving father who spent all of his spare time with his children and he loved helping other small children. He loved being a police officer and was a tropical fish enthusiast. He also loved to scuba dive and snorkel in the warm waters of the ocean.
Stephan is survived by his wife, Michelle D. Gray, his son, Isaiah Aaron Gray, his two daughters, Cameron Michelle Gray and Landess Corjae Gray, all of Merced; his brothers, Andrew Gray of London, England and Tony Gray of Santa Rosa; his sister, Rosalyn Gray of Hanford; his mother, Lonather Gray of Hanford; his father, Andrew Gray of Visalia; his grandmothers, Clonia Shaver and Charlie Mae Gray, both of Tulare; and his in-laws; as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A visitation will be held from noon until 7 p.m. today at Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 21, at St. Patrick's Church in Merced.
Remembrances may be sent to Officer Stephan Gray Memorial Fund, C/O County Bank in Merced.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced.
Officer Stephan Gray was shot after pulling over a vehicle in his unmarked patrol car in the 1900 block of Glen Avenue in central Merced at 7:23 p.m. The seven-year veteran of the department, assigned to the special operations unit, worked on street-level narcotics and gang violence suppression.
Gray made contact with a male passenger of the vehicle, 21-year-old Tahua "Tao" Rivera.
Witnesses at the scene said they talked for some time, but when Gray attempted to search him, the suspect was able to break free and a short foot chase began. After several yards the suspect turned and opened fire on Officer Gray, striking him twice. Officer Gray was transported to Mercy Community Campus Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Rivera had a criminal history dating back to October of 2000 when he was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He stayed at the Merced County Jail until March 2001. He was booked again in August of 2001 and was once again jailed until March of 2002 for being in possession of a controlled substance. He was then sent to state prison.
Rivera's mother, 43-year-old Erika Rivera, who was known to have had contact with her son after the shooting was arrested for aiding and abetting and as an accessory and was booked in the Merced County jail, with bail set at $500,000.
The multi-jurisdictional task force that had worked day and night to apprehend "Tao" Rivera, were rewarded when he was arrested outside the town of Chowchilla 17 days later by agents from the State Department of Justice and Federal Immigration..
Officer Gray had served with the Merced Police Department for 7 years, and was assigned to the Special Operations Unit to combat narcotics and gangs.
Stephan Gray was remembered by his peers as an outgoing, good spirited professional who related well to his community. He loved to stop and talk to people, especially young people. He cared, helped them with their problems and served as a role model.
On the morning of April 21 St. Patricks Catholic Church was filled beyond capacity with more than 2,000 people; family, friends, civic officials and uniformed peace officers from a myriad of jurisdictions, all paying their final respects to a real hero. Attorney General Bill Lockyer was present, as he always is at law enforcement funerals, offering condolences on behalf of the people of our Great State. Michelle Gray, widow of the fallen officer eulogized her husband thusly, "Someone asked me if Stephan was a hero for the way he died. I had to tell her Stephan was a hero for the way he lived".
A Motorcade of more than 300 police vehicles escorted the flag draped coffin and remains of a brother officer to his final resting-place.
His wife Michelle, daughters Landess, age 13, Cameron, age 3 and son Isaiah, age 5 survive Officer Gray.
Officer Gray is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel 32-E, Line 24.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary, Merced Sun Star:
Stephan Gene Gray, 34, of Merced passed away on April 15, 2004, in Merced.
He was born on Aug. 21, 1969, in Tulare, where he lived in his youth. He was a resident of Merced for the past seven years, where he worked as a police officer for the Merced Police Department. Stephan was a very loving and giving father who spent all of his spare time with his children and he loved helping other small children. He loved being a police officer and was a tropical fish enthusiast. He also loved to scuba dive and snorkel in the warm waters of the ocean.
Stephan is survived by his wife, Michelle D. Gray, his son, Isaiah Aaron Gray, his two daughters, Cameron Michelle Gray and Landess Corjae Gray, all of Merced; his brothers, Andrew Gray of London, England and Tony Gray of Santa Rosa; his sister, Rosalyn Gray of Hanford; his mother, Lonather Gray of Hanford; his father, Andrew Gray of Visalia; his grandmothers, Clonia Shaver and Charlie Mae Gray, both of Tulare; and his in-laws; as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A visitation will be held from noon until 7 p.m. today at Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 21, at St. Patrick's Church in Merced.
Remembrances may be sent to Officer Stephan Gray Memorial Fund, C/O County Bank in Merced.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced.
Gray made contact with a male passenger of the vehicle, 21-year-old Tahua "Tao" Rivera.
Witnesses at the scene said they talked for some time, but when Gray attempted to search him, the suspect was able to break free and a short foot chase began. After several yards the suspect turned and opened fire on Officer Gray, striking him twice. Officer Gray was transported to Mercy Community Campus Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Rivera had a criminal history dating back to October of 2000 when he was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He stayed at the Merced County Jail until March 2001. He was booked again in August of 2001 and was once again jailed until March of 2002 for being in possession of a controlled substance. He was then sent to state prison.
Rivera's mother, 43-year-old Erika Rivera, who was known to have had contact with her son after the shooting was arrested for aiding and abetting and as an accessory and was booked in the Merced County jail, with bail set at $500,000.
The multi-jurisdictional task force that had worked day and night to apprehend "Tao" Rivera, were rewarded when he was arrested outside the town of Chowchilla 17 days later by agents from the State Department of Justice and Federal Immigration..
Officer Gray had served with the Merced Police Department for 7 years, and was assigned to the Special Operations Unit to combat narcotics and gangs.
Stephan Gray was remembered by his peers as an outgoing, good spirited professional who related well to his community. He loved to stop and talk to people, especially young people. He cared, helped them with their problems and served as a role model.
On the morning of April 21 St. Patricks Catholic Church was filled beyond capacity with more than 2,000 people; family, friends, civic officials and uniformed peace officers from a myriad of jurisdictions, all paying their final respects to a real hero. Attorney General Bill Lockyer was present, as he always is at law enforcement funerals, offering condolences on behalf of the people of our Great State. Michelle Gray, widow of the fallen officer eulogized her husband thusly, "Someone asked me if Stephan was a hero for the way he died. I had to tell her Stephan was a hero for the way he lived".
A Motorcade of more than 300 police vehicles escorted the flag draped coffin and remains of a brother officer to his final resting-place.
His wife Michelle, daughters Landess, age 13, Cameron, age 3 and son Isaiah, age 5 survive Officer Gray.
Officer Gray is honored at the California State Peace Officer Memorial in Sacramento, CA, and the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel 32-E, Line 24.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obituary, Merced Sun Star:
Stephan Gene Gray, 34, of Merced passed away on April 15, 2004, in Merced.
He was born on Aug. 21, 1969, in Tulare, where he lived in his youth. He was a resident of Merced for the past seven years, where he worked as a police officer for the Merced Police Department. Stephan was a very loving and giving father who spent all of his spare time with his children and he loved helping other small children. He loved being a police officer and was a tropical fish enthusiast. He also loved to scuba dive and snorkel in the warm waters of the ocean.
Stephan is survived by his wife, Michelle D. Gray, his son, Isaiah Aaron Gray, his two daughters, Cameron Michelle Gray and Landess Corjae Gray, all of Merced; his brothers, Andrew Gray of London, England and Tony Gray of Santa Rosa; his sister, Rosalyn Gray of Hanford; his mother, Lonather Gray of Hanford; his father, Andrew Gray of Visalia; his grandmothers, Clonia Shaver and Charlie Mae Gray, both of Tulare; and his in-laws; as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A visitation will be held from noon until 7 p.m. today at Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 21, at St. Patrick's Church in Merced.
Remembrances may be sent to Officer Stephan Gray Memorial Fund, C/O County Bank in Merced.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ivers & Alcorn Funeral Home in Merced.
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