When it comes to police work, there’s the glamor of cops on television and the terrible, dirty, back-breaking work done by real police officers.  The groundbreaking reality television show Cops, which follows on-duty law enforcement on their calls, blurred that line significantly, and it’s been a ratings success for a staggering 25 seasons, mostly on Fox.  Amazingly, no one had ever gotten hurt during filming, but that’s changed after a tragic police mistake.  Bryce Dion, 38, was killed during a shoot-out between Omaha police and a gunman at a Wendy’s Restaurant.

The bullet hit the gap between Dion’s vest and his left arm.  He died at the scene.  The robber, 32-year-old Cortez Washington, was killed by police.  As it turns out, Washington’s weapon was a pellet gun, not a real gun, but that information came to light only after he was killed.

“When you are reporting police work and riding along with us, unfortunately, you subject yourself to that same level of violence that Omaha police officers do every day,” said Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.

This is the first fatality for a Cops crew member in the show’s 25 seasons.  Dion was the audio supervisor for the filming crew.  The Cops crew has been filming in Omaha over the summer; this was the final week of filming.

Tags: cops, cops television show, cops tv show, omaha, nebraska, cops crew member killed, cops crew member killed by police, cops crew member killed in shoot out, todd schmaderer, bryce dion, cortez washington, wendy’s restaurant, wendy’s, law and order

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