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Phoenix cop critical after charity boxing match
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A charity boxing event to raise money for injured police officers and firefighters took a tragic twist Friday, ending with a Phoenix cop in critical condition.
Officer Barry Scott had just participated in a boxing match against a firefighter when the referee stopped the fight. The 22-year-old then joined his family after the match and collapsed. He was taken to a hospital, where he is now on life support.
His injuries and the reason for his collapse haven't been released.
"Today, he is still fighting for his life," said Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill during a news conference Monday at Phoenix police headquarters.
Scott is a veteran of the Iraq war and joined the department in May 2007. He also has a wife and a baby.
The event Scott took part in was called "Guns 'n Hoses" and was put on by a production company by the same name at the Fort McDowell Casino.
The business chose the 100 Club of Arizona as the beneficiary of the event. The club is a nonprofit that gives money to families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who are injured or killed in the line of duty.
An e-mail to the production company Monday afternoon went unanswered.
A spokeswoman for the 100 Club of Arizona said the charity was "saddened."
"Officer Scott is a hero," said spokeswoman Rachel St. Moritz. "He has defended our country, our city streets and given much to the community."
St. Moritz said her organization had never participated in a Guns 'n Hoses event before, and that 100 Club of Arizona didn't organize the event.
Hill called the incident "tragic" and "an ironic twist of fate" since the event was meant to help public safety employees who have been injured.
"Although this is not a line-of-duty incident, it is an incident with a family member for us," Hill said.
Information on the boxing match and whether the players wore head protection wasn't readily available.
Hill said the firefighter with whom Scott had boxed is currently on vacation and likely doesn't know about the injury. Hill would not release the firefighter's name, nor say what agency he worked for.
Hill said an investigation would be conducted, but that he doesn't yet know what agency will be handling that.
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