WASHINGTON — A Pentagon Force Protection Officer killed near a Metro station in August will be honored at a memorial service at the Pentagon Thursday.
Officer George Gonzalez was killed in a stabbing-turned-shooting near the Pentagon Metro station in early August.
Gonzalez was a Brooklyn, New York, native and a 3-year veteran of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA). The FBI says Gonzalez was attacked "without provocation" by a man, later identified as 27-year-old Austin William Lanz of Acworth, Georgia, when he stepped off the bus at the Pentagon Transit Center.
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Before his time at the Pentagon, Gonzalez served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Transportation Security Administration, and the United States Army. The military veteran was even awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his service in Iraq, authorities said.
"We are heartbroken over the death of our son and brother, but we are so very very proud of the life he lived," the fallen officer's family said in a statement released by PFPA following his death. "George devoted his life to serving his country; first in the military, and then, as a law enforcement officer. He loved his country, his family, and the Yankees. He was one of the good guys with a big heart, and we will miss him always."
Gonzalez was known to be "well-liked and respected by his fellow officers" and had recently been promoted to the rank of Senior Officer in 2020 with the Pentagon.
The PFPA will honor the life of Gonzalez at the memorial service Thursday at 10 a.m. Acting Director Daniel Walsh and Pentagon Police Chief Woody Kusse will provide remarks, the PFPA said. Members of Gonzalez's family, including his mother and brother, who is a New York City police officer, will also be in attendance.