Police Officer Anthony Holly, 24, responded as a backup officer to another officer who had stopped a vehicle with three occupants on February 19, 2007. They had taken one suspect out of the vehicle and were removing the second when this suspect produced a handgun from his waistband and fired at the officers, striking Officer Holly. The other officer returned fire, wounding the shooter, who was later captured and taken into custody. Officer Holly was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix where he was pronounced dead.

Holly was born in Mesa and grew up in Peoria. He graduated from Mountain Ridge High School and served four years in the Air Force before joining the Glendale Police Department. While serving in the Air Force, Holly was a mentor for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Fellow officers describe Holly as “wise beyond his years” and full of energy. He was known to take moments while on patrol to play pick-up sports with teens in Glendale. He grew up playing recreational sports and was the first to organize volleyball games for officers off duty.

“Tony’s life was all one big pot of, ‘How can I help people be in a better place? How can I help kids go down a better path?’” said his mom, Nancy Bonner.