For 17 years, David Rosa served the Long Beach community as a first responder with the city’s fire department before being killed by a gunman while on a call in 2018. Today, his name is one of 44 forever etched in front of City Hall’s fire and police memorial, which honors the city’s service members who have died in the line of duty and highlights the dangers they face.
“True love is selfless, it is prepared to sacrifice,” LBFD Chief Xavier Espino said during the annual ceremony held in front of City Hall Tuesday morning. “When a person is willing to sacrifice their life for their friends and family… there is no greater expression of love.”
Dozens of city officials and employees, along with families and friends of those who died in the line of duty were in attendance as fire bells bellowed across Downtown with each name that was read aloud, followed by a 21-gun salute in which seven officers fired blanks into the air.