Home / Fallen Officers / Jeff Wroten Memorial
Brandon Morris is escorted from the Maryland State Police barracks in Hagerstown.
Jeffery Alan Wroten, a 44-year-old father of five, is shot early Thursday morning allegedly by Brandon Morris, 20, a Baltimore native who was serving an eight-year sentence for armed robbery and assault at the Roxbury Correctional Institution.
Officer Wroten was guarding the hospitalized inmate at Washington County Hospital. It is unclear how Morris was able to slip his restraints.
Brandon Morris escaped the hospital, commandeered a taxi, and led police on a brief chase before being captured in State Line, Maryland.
Lt. Rodney McCoy, front, and others raise thier candles.
As dusk faded to night Friday, about 200 people - mostly correctional officers and retirees - stared somberly at the windows of Washington County Hospital, holding candles and holding out hope for their fellow officer, who was fighting for his life inside.
Jeff remained in critical condition Friday night at the hospital after being was shot in the face by an inmate he was guarding there Thursday.
Wroten's family watched the vigil, organized early Friday, through a waiting room window.
J. Keplinger, COII an Officer at The Maryland Correctional Training Center sent out an e-mail on Friday about 8 a.m. to try to start getting a vigil organized, expressed his thanks to those who came out.
Jeff died later that night
Correctional officers carry the casket of Jeffery Alan Wroten today during his funeral.
More than 2,000 correctional officers, state troopers, sheriff's deputies and other police from several states converged on Martinsburg, WV to honor a fallen comrade, Jeffery Alan Wroten.
Wroten, a correctional officer at Roxbury Correctional Institution the past four years, was remembered during Wednesday's services at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a family man who adored his children and as a respected member of the church.
Some co-workers teasingly called him "Shrek," after the movie character, because of his large size and big heart, said Roy Young, a friend and former bishop of the church. He said everyone who came into contact with Wroten liked him. "Jeff was everyone's friend," he said.
