The Delray Beach Police Department is mourning the loss of one of their own and hoping for a swift recovery of another.
Officers Christine Braswell and Bernenda Marc were involved in an off-duty crash in Key West on Saturday. Braswell passed away.
Tragedy struck on Saturday morning at 1:30 a.m. when Braswell and Marc were hit by a car on their scooter in Key West.
“It’s a devastating loss,” said Delray Beach PD Chief Jeff Goldman on Monday.
Those who knew Braswell say it was her laugh that stuck with you.
“She could make you smile at the drop of a hat,” said Sgt. Richard Jacobson.
Braswell was the only female sniper in Palm Beach County. When she made the list to the SWAT team, she thanked her supervisor.
“I said Chrisinte that’s were you belong,” Jacobson said. “You’ve earned that position.”
Braswell was doing many things in her community, from teaching self-defense classes to organizing boot camps for kids and she was instrumental at work as well.
“She trained 50 officers,” Goldman said. “Many of the officers behind were trained by her.”
One of the officers she trained was officer Marc, who is conscious and recovering from critical injuries.
“All we wanna do is get her healthy and get her back on these streets,” Goldman said.
As Chief Goldman was speaking, officers were holding hands, crying and hugging each other.
Their badges were covered, mourning the loss of Officer Braswell and remembering that laugh that brought a smile to people every day.
“We love her,” Goldman said. “We love her.”
Officials with the Key West Police Department said the crash remains under investigation. No fault has been established yet.
The driver of the car, 31-year old Lacy Morris of Key West, has been arrested eight times over the years including for possessions of cocaine and prescription drugs to battery and resisting arrest.
The patrol car of Officer Braswell is outside of the Delray Beach PD and anyone who would like to leave flowers or notes in support can do so.