Cd'A officer shot, killed in line of duty

COEUR d’ALENE — Greg Moore was known as a gentle family man who loved being around people, especially kids.

The Coeur d’Alene Police sergeant was shot in the line of duty, allegedly by Jonathan Daniel Renfro, 26, Rathdrum, early Tuesday morning in northwest Coeur d'Alene. Moore, a 16-year veteran of the police department, died at Kootenai Health at 5:50 Tuesday night.

"Our community has been wounded and, in some ways, it may never be the same," Coeur d'Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer said. "We have lost a great man. Over time our community will heal, but we will always bear a scar and we will never forget the bravery and sacrifice of Sergeant Greg Moore.

"Our hearts go out to his family, our police department and all who knew him. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers."

Renfro was found and arrested Tuesday morning, hiding in the axle area of a semi-truck trailer next to the Walmart near the state line. After he allegedly shot Moore, he fled in the sergeant's patrol car, according to police.

Renfro’s bond was set at $2 million at his first appearance on Tuesday. He faces five charges, including attempted murder, two counts of grand theft, possession of a firearm by a felon and stealing a gun from a police officer. Those charges could be altered or increased today.

About 400 people attended a vigil Tuesday night at Candlelight Christian Fellowship in Coeur d'Alene to remember Moore.

"He's the kind of police officer that men and women looked up to in the police department," Coeur d'Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood said.

The Coeur d'Alene City Council shortened its meeting Tuesday night, and the community reacted to the shooting in shock and sadness.

"First and foremost, (Moore) absolutely loved his family," said Deanne Clifford, principal at Lake City High School where Moore formerly served as a school resource officer. "We are devastated for them."

Moore, who grew up in Walla Walla, Wash., began his law enforcement career as a deputy sheriff for Asotin County (Wash.) in December 1997 and stayed with that agency until March 1999.

He joined the Coeur d'Alene Police in April 1999 and held the positions of reserve officer coordinator, field training officer, SRO and sergeant.

Moore had several training certifications, including as a POST-certified instructor in arrest techniques, instructor for communications and a member of the hostage negotiation team.

In 2007 he was named Kootenai County's Top Cop by the Kootenai County Substance Abuse Council for his efforts in DUI enforcement.

"Sgt. Greg Moore was a mentor and trusted friend to his fellow officers at Coeur d'Alene Police Department," a police press release states. "He lived his life with honor, dedication and loyalty as a public servant to the citizens of Coeur d'Alene. Even more importantly he was a dedicated husband and father of two wonderful children."

A family man

Moore’s wife, Lindy, is a third-grade teacher at Ramsey Magnet School of Science in Coeur d'Alene. The two have a 1-year-old daughter named Gemma. Greg also has a son named Dylon, a sixth-grader at Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy.

Former Lake City High School Principal John Brumley is Dylon’s grandfather.

"The Moore and Brumley families are very interconnected with our community," Clifford said.

Moore maintained close ties to the department's school resource program even after he finished at Lake City High.

"When I was in charge of security (as vice principal), Greg would be there first and with me at midnight on security calls," Clifford said. "Greg has always had a connection with kids and has impacted a lot of people."

Moore recently received a Police Star Award for his bravery and professionalism in apprehending a suspect whose actions exposed others to injury or death.

Those who knew Moore through law enforcement said they have the utmost respect for him.

Gavin Brodwater, who met Moore as a reserve Coeur d'Alene officer about 15 years ago, described Moore as a law enforcement role model.

"He was one of the few guys who would go out of his way to make sure that the reserves were OK," Brodwater said. "He treated everyone with respect. He could turn a hostile situation into one in which people were smiling and apologizing at the end. He was absolutely one of the most devoted people to his family and that includes the law enforcement family."

What went wrong

According to police, Moore contacted Renfro, who was acting suspicious in the Sunshine Meadows subdivision in the 2800 block of Wilbur Avenue around 1:30 a.m. Moore had been on a routine, random patrol.

“The area had recently been the target of auto burglaries,” a Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office press release states.

Moore called Renfro’s name in to dispatch to see if Renfro was wanted.

“At some point following his last radio transmission, Sgt. Moore was shot and critically wounded," the KCSO press release states.

Details such as where Moore was shot have not been released by law enforcement, citing the pending investigation.

Renfro then allegedly fled in Moore’s patrol vehicle.

A short time later, a Post Falls patrol officer observed the Coeur d'Alene Police vehicle traveling westbound through the intersection of Seltice Way and McGuire Road in Post Falls at 90 mph. A chase ensued with the suspect driving up to 125 mph.

“The officer engaged in a pursuit of the speeding police car, but lost sight of it briefly in the area of Beck Road and Seltice Way,” the press release states.

The police vehicle was found abandoned at Beck Road and Pointe Parkway near the state line. About 25 responders with multiple Idaho and Washington agencies set up a perimeter.

Renfro’s capture

Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug said Renfro tried to enter Walmart, but it was closed.

“The front doors were locked,” Haug said. “He wanted access, but the employees didn’t let him in. It was a good decision by the Walmart employees to not let him in or who knows what would have happened.”

About 90 minutes after the patrol car was discovered abandoned, Renfro was found by a KCSO K9 hiding in the axle area of a semi trailer in a dirt parking area on the west side of Walmart. He was arrested around 4 a.m.

Haug said two guns — Renfro’s and Moore’s — were recovered near where Renfro was arrested.

Renfro reportedly used his own gun to fire at Moore, then took Moore’s.

Haug said Moore’s handgun was found below the trailer where Renfro was hiding. He said it’s unclear why the suspect had dropped the gun. Moore’s gun was recovered between his patrol car and the semi trailer.

Medical personnel responded to the scene to treat Renfro before he was transported to the jail. Haug said he didn’t know how Renfro was injured, but possibly from the K-9.

Online commenters wondered how responders could refrain from shooting Renfro after he allegedly shot Moore.

"Officers are trained to put their emotions aside and not take actions that are illegal or immoral," Haug said. "It is common that officers become in a high state of arousal, but the last thing they want to do is jeopardize the case. It's extremely important that officers put emotions aside and act professionally, and they did."

Idaho State Police is handling the investigation. Investigators plan to view video files from the patrol vehicles and Moore’s body camera.

Renfro has a lengthy criminal history. He was on parole stemming from a previous battery on a police officer and grand theft charges from Latah County. He served prison time from 2009 to 2014.

Help Moore family

The nonprofit Kootenai County Police and Fire Memorial Foundation established a fund to benefit the Moore family. Contributions can be made to: The Greg and Lindy Moore Fund at Umpqua Bank, 1106 Sherman Ave., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814. (Taxpayer ID 20-3926660)

The last time a local law enforcement employee was shot and killed in the line of duty was Idaho State Police Trooper Linda Huff, on June 17, 1998. Huff was ambushed in the ISP parking lot in Hayden.

The last local officer shot in the line of duty was Coeur d'Alene Officer Mike Kralicek, who was shot while assisting with an arrest in a hit-and-run incident on Dec. 28, 2004. Kralicek is permanently disabled from that shooting. The man who shot Kralicek was killed by deputies who returned fire.

Spirit Lake Police Chief Keith Hutcheson knew Moore, who was a Boston Red Sox fan, not only from serving in law enforcement, but on the softball field.

"He was a fun family man," Hutcheson said. "We learned to laugh at ourselves over the mistakes we made as young officers. But, when you talked to him about calls, you always knew you'd get a straight answer from him. He was very trustworthy."

KCSO Lt. Stu Miller, who knew Moore the past 16 years, called him an "excellent officer, a fantastic supervisor."

"And yeah, he was doing his job," Miller said, fighting back tears at a press conference.

On Moore’s Facebook page, his mom once made the suggestion for him to consider moving back home to serve there.

Moore responded, "I can tell you this mom - I would not start over in law enforcement anywhere else."

Statement on Moore’s death

The Coeur d'Alene Police Department issued the following statement on the death Tuesday night of Sgt. Greg Moore:

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department is profoundly sorrowful to confirm the death of our fellow officer Sergeant Greg Moore who passed away from his injuries from a gunshot wound at 5:50 pm today.

Words cannot adequately express the level of mourning we feel for Sergeant Moore’s family and our law enforcement family.

We appreciate all of the kindness our community has shown to our officers and the thoughtful prayers said for Sergeant Moore. We wish to express our sincerest gratitude to the dedicated, professional, emergency first responders and medical team and staff at Kootenai Health who cared for Greg in an effort to save him.

Please respect the privacy of his family at this time while they tend to funeral arrangements.