Slain officer is Gilbert's 2nd killed in line of duty

Lt. Eric Shuhandler is the second Gilbert police officer to die in the line of duty.

Officer Rob Targosz, a 12-year veteran, died April 30, 2006, one day after a drunken driver ran a red light and struck him on his motorcycle at a Tempe intersection as he was heading to work for a joint DUI task force.
The death of the 37-year-old officer - the first to die in the Gilbert Police Department's then 87-year history - hit the community hard.

Gilbert civic leaders raised $200,000 to commission a statue honoring all police and firefighters. The statue stands at the town's government and public safety complex on Warnber and Gilbert roads.

Targosz's death also inspired tougher Arizona DUI enforcement laws.

His killer, Tyler Gary Fahlman, was sentenced in 2008 to nine years in prison.

Police said test results show Fahlman's blood-alcohol content was 0.083 percent about four hours after the accident. In Arizona, drivers are presumed drunk at 0.08 percent.

Brigitte Targosz, the slain officer's widow his wife, lobbied for tougher drunken driving legislation at both the state and federal levels.

She was a founding member of Spouses Offering Support, a non-profit support group for Gilbert police officers and their families. She also has been heavily involved with Students Against Destructive Decisions, a youth education and prevention organization.


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