Advisory: Rep. Johnson renaming Pine Lake Post Office for fallen officer Ortega
LITHONIA, GA – On Saturday, August 27, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) – along with the Ortega family, Pine Lake officials and members of the community – will gather to officially rename the city’s Post Office in honor of fallen police officer Francis Manuel Ortega.
WHO: Rep. Hank Johnson, a member of the House Judiciary & Armed Services Committees; members of the Ortega family; U.S. Post Office representatives; Pine Lake Mayor Melanie Hammet; Pine Lake Police Chief Sarai Y’hudah-Green; members of the greater Pine Lake community;
WHAT: Renaming the Pine Lake Post Office at Rockbridge Road and Spring Drive in honor of fallen police officer Francis Manuel Ortega;
WHEN: Saturday, August 27, 2016, 1 p.m.
WHERE: 4567 Rockbridge Rd. SW, Pine Lake, GA 30072.
WHY: On August 11, 2005, Officer Ortega, then 25, was shot and killed in front of the Pine Lake Post Office while conducting a routine traffic stop. Officer Ortega was a part-time officer of the Pine Lake Police Department and a full-time officer at Georgia Regional Hospital. Officer Ortega was survived by his parents Francisco and Luz, his sister Joann, and his children Frankey and Kaylie.
“Officer Ortega made the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life for the protection of his community,” said Johnson, who was a DeKalb County commissioner in 2005 when the incident occurred. “Officer Ortega’s commitment to justice and willingness to face danger when others turned away, his desire to stand up for what was right – not what was easy, and his compassion for those in need should be applauded, commended and recognized in perpetuity.”
The public is welcome to attend. Please RSVP by calling Rep. Johnson's district office at 770-987-2291.
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