Thirty years ago,  Tampa Police Officer Porfirio Soto, Jr. was shot to death. Today’s memorial ceremony is open to the public.

TAMPA – Police Chief Brian Dugan and his staff will participate in a Memorial Remembrance Ceremony today (Dec. 28) as the Department’s Honor Guard pays respect to the memory of Officer Porfirio Soto Jr.

Family, friends, and co-workers will attend the event, which is scheduled for 11a.m. at 411 N Franklin St. in the front of the Tampa Police Department Monument for Fallen Officers. The ceremony is open to the public.

Officer Soto died Dec. 30, 1988. Officer Soto, then 25, a police rookie, and Officer Charlotte Johnston were making an arrest on Boynton Beach shooting suspect Jackie Simpson when Simpson leaped at Officer Soto.

The two men grappled before Simpson pulled a .38 caliber revolver and twice shot Officer Soto point blank in the chest. Officer Soto’s bulletproof vest deflected those shots, but as the officer raised his left arm
in defense, Simpson fired at his unprotected side.

Officer Soto died an hour later.

Simpson, captured after a chase, was later sentenced to 25 years, a light sentence for killing a police officer. On April 13, 1997, Simpson was found dead in his jail cell. An investigation disclosed that he hung himself.

Tampa Police | Porfirio Soto, Jr. | Police Memorial | Tampabay News

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