Candlelight vigil honors Officer Figueroa

As the sun set over Phoenix, the flicker of candles illuminated Lindo Park as police officers and others gathered to remember Officer Shane Figueroa.

Figueroa, 25, was killed early last Saturday when his patrol car was slammed by a pickup driven by an illegal immigrant who police say had been drinking.

Wednesday night's vigil was just down the road from the crash scene, at 19th Avenue and Roeser Road.

Edward Campos Jr. heard the crash that evening, and ran out to help. At the vigil, he said he tried to comfort Figueroa as he lay on the ground.

"It's just sad to see somebody hurting that bad, and to be scared," Campos Jr. said. "I just told him I was there to help him, and that help was on the way.

"I told him everything was going to be all right."

Commander Dave Faulkner is in charge of the precinct where Figueroa worked.

"Sadly, we've been through a lot," Faulkner said. "Over 26 years of my career, each time it doesn't get any easier.

"This is my precinct. These officers are hard-working, there's 340 of them in this precinct. Every single day, we ask them to come to work and keep the good people safe from the bad people. Stuff like this chips away at them."

A memorial service for Figueroa will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Red Mountain Institute in Mesa, followed by interment at City of Mesa Cemetery.

Donations to help Figueroa's wife and young daughter can be made at any M & I Bank in the name of Melisha or Kenzlie Figueroa.

The driver of the pickup that hit Figueroa's car, Salvador Vivas-Diaz, 50, is being held on charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault and forgery.