LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The death of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officer Austin Abdelnabi has left the law enforcement community grieving, but the president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association said the organization's work begins immediately after a tragedy like this.
WATCH | Shellye Leggett heard from the LVPPA president on how the organization is responding:
Officer Abdelnabi, 30, was killed in the line of duty Tuesday evening after investigators said a gunman ambushed him as he stepped out of his patrol car near Mountain Vista and Hacienda.
"Our first thought process is shifting to one where police work's still got to get done," Las Vegas Police Protective Association president Steve Grammas said. "At the same time, we're making sure that family is taken care of and our officers have the support they need."
Abdelnabi was a Marine Corps veteran who served overseas in Okinawa and Africa, earning several medals for bravery before joining LVMPD in 2023.
LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill spoke Wednesday morning about the loss, calling Abdelnabi a heroic young officer and a devoted husband who lost his life in a "horrific act of violence."
WATCH | Remembering Officer Abdelnabi:
The sheriff said losing a fellow officer is devastating for the department, but officers must continue serving the community.
Grammas said that while law enforcement leaders are grieving themselves, they have to remain strong for officers and the families left behind.
"As a husband and as a father of four kids, it's never easy talking to a spouse, but you have to put that aside and you've got to get through it," Grammas said. "You've got to be a strong voice and a strong presence for everybody."
He said the association remains involved with the families of fallen officers long after the public attention fades.
"We keep them involved so that we know we're not missing any milestones," Grammas said. "Making sure that when the machine of Metro continues to move, which it has to, that there is an entity that stays engaged with them so that they're never forgotten."
Grammas said that commitment extends to birthdays, graduations, marriages and the birth of children.
"We stay with them," he said.
Hundreds of first responders honored Abdelnabi during a procession Tuesday night, with patrol vehicles lining the route as sirens and flashing lights paid tribute to the fallen officer.
WATCH the procession:
The Injured Police Officers Fund is collecting donations to support Abdelnabi's family and plans to hold a candlelight vigil Friday. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days.
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