BOX ELDER, CO- Last week, two heroes, Tremonton-Garland, Utah police officers Sgt. Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada, were gunned down in the line of duty by a feckless coward.
Two other officers were wounded, an Elder County sheriff’s deputy and his police K-9.
A week later, two teens in a neighboring community are collaborating on a fundraiser to help the families of the fallen officers, KSL-TV5 reports.
Kaden and Carson Kimber, 17 and 15 years old respectively, who attend Box Elder High School, held a lemonade stand this past weekend to benefit the Sorensen and Estrada families.
According to the boys’ mother, Sherrie, the idea was hatched by her two sons, who handled the fundraising on their own.
“I worked the night shift, came home, and first thing Kaden said was, ‘Mom, we are doing a lemonade stand, we’re going to help these guys,’” Sherrie said.
For Kaden and Carson, the death of the two officers hit especially close to home, since their grandfather and Sherrie’s father is a retired member of law enforcement.
“You are family for life forever,” Sherrie said. “Your heart hurts because you know the sacrifice. You know how scary it is. You know how tough that job is.”
This isn’t the first time the brothers have hosted lemonade stands to honor the fallen, having previously hosted other lemonade stands to benefit the loved ones of officers who make the ultimate sacrifice.
“Knowing that we have to do another one of these, there are no words,” Sherrie said. “It’s hard because it shouldn’t have happened. So, a little bit of anger mixed with all this sadness and soberness, but trying to figure out a better way to deal with it.”
The boys did not know the officers personally, however, they have friends connected to them in some way.
“We had our football coach talk to us separately about it to see if anyone was, like, going through things,” Carson said. “Everyone knew about it, and everyone was mourning it.”
Sherrie said she wasn’t surprised by her sons’ decision to raise funds, saying she taught them to always look out for the helpers.
“They don’t sit back and watch bad things happen and think they’re helpless,” she said. “I never want them to feel helpless. They can always help.”
The fundraiser lasted all day last Saturday, with the brothers running the show, with a bit of help from mom and dad.
“Their dad and I sit down with them, they write down their list of what they need, how they’re going to do it, we give them the funds,” Sherrie said. “They set it all up.”
Thus far, the boys have raised $1,457. Donations were scheduled to be available through Monday night @lovethesher on Venmo.
Sherrie said the family will coordinate with the Tremonton-Garland Police Department to deliver the funds to both officers’ families.
“I hope it helps other people to do the same thing and help them see that anyone could do this,” Carson said.
Sgt. Sorensen and Off. Estrada were dispatched to a 911 hangup call early Monday morning, August 18.
One of the officers was talking to an occupant of the house who reported an apparent domestic disturbance, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
They were met with a hail of gunfire.
“Upon arrival, they immediately began taking fire,” said Crystal Beck, a spokesperson for the Brigham City police. “They requested additional units and then stopped answering their radio.
According to a probable cause statement, a man, later identified as Ryan Michael Bate, 32. exited the house with a high-powered rifle “and opened fire on two officers, fatally wounding both.”
The deputy and K9 who were hit responded to the scene as additional backup. Bystanders persuaded the suspect to put down his weapon. A SWAT team cleared the building of additional suspects.
Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for Bate.
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