PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — People are dropping off flowers on a patrol car parked outside the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office in honor of Sergeant Elio Diaz who was killed in a traffic stop Sunday.
"I just took it from my Christmas tree. I just wanted to put a part of home with the memory," long-time Southwest Florida resident Tracey Ellis said.
Find previous reporting on Sgt. Diaz here.
Ellis wanted to pay her respect to Sgt. Diaz. She added a red flower to the dozens that cover the patrol car outside CCSO.
The car honors all the CCSO deputies killed in the line of duty. A new name added to the car, Corporal, now, Sgt. Elio Diaz end of watch December 15, 2024.
Watch Fox 4's Ella Rhoades report below:
Ellis comes from a law enforcement family and knows the risk officers take daily.
She said, "To see it happen is just it's not only you're thankful that it's not one of yours, but you're devastated that it was somebody else's."
Five minutes down the road, another memorial for Diaz grows at the Chevron gas station on 41 where he was killed.
Punta Gorda officers planted a flag for Diaz next to the flowers, candles and balloons from the community.
Local resident Sherri Dunn came two days in a row to the memorial leaving flowers and plants for Diaz.
Dunn said the memorial grew a lot in a short time.
"It makes me proud that the community is here supporting our brothers in blue and women," Dunn said.
After two hurricanes this year and the loss of Diaz, Dunn said the community will only grow stronger together.
"The community we've been through a lot and this is another loss that we have to share," Dunn said.