Officer William Coleman Cook, 25, was killed in the line of duty on May 16, 1979, in Gladeview, Florida. A six-year member of the Metro‑Dade Police Department, he was responding to a shots fired call at NW 77th Terrace and NW 12th Avenue just minutes before his shift was to end. The call involved a man who had fired into his estranged wife’s home.

Cook and his squad, a block away though not officially dispatched, arrived on scene. During the confrontation an officer who jumped into the suspect’s car was shot in the head and fell from the vehicle; Cook returned fire and struck the suspect. Believing the suspect incapacitated, officers moved to aid their wounded colleague when the suspect unexpectedly rose and fired again, striking Cook in the side between vest panels and wounding another officer in the chest. A detective later exchanged fire with the suspect and killed him. Cook left behind a wife, mother, and sister.

The suspect died at the scene, so there were no arrests or prosecutions. Does anyone have memories of Officer Cook or information about the department’s response that day?