Last week, the Pensacola Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office honored those in their agencies who died in service to their country as part of National Police Week.
Last Friday, two local names were added to local memorials and also added to the 363 names to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial—ECSO Deputy Jeremy H. Cassady and SRSO Sergeant Alton D. Berrian.
- On May 8, 2025, Sgt. Berrian assisted with removing a vehicle from the Gulf Breeze Parkway near the Green Briar Parkway in Gulf Breeze before completing his midnight shift. Immediately afterward, he complained of pain and went to the emergency room later that day. Berrian went unconscious while being examined and was life-flighted to HCA West Florida Hospital for emergency surgery. Despite life-saving measures, he never regained consciousness and passed away on eight days later.
Deputy Cassady died last summer after a long battle with cancer that his family and colleagues believe was connected to his line-of-duty injuries and subsequent medical complications.
On Oct. 29, 2010, Deputies Jeremy Cassady, Chad Brown and Sam Parker responded to the home invasion call in a neighborhood off Scenic Highway about Interstate 10. Upon arrival, they heard screaming. Forcing their way into the home, they discovered Phillip Monier, who immediately opened fire, using his ex-girlfriend, Jackie Rosenbloom, as a shield.
- During the close-range gunfire exchange, the deputies and the hostage suffered gunshot wounds. Monier dragged Rosenbloom into the bathroom and turned on the faucets to flood the home. Cassady was critically wounded. Deputy Josh Hendershott entered the home after hearing the shots, without knowing where the gunman was located, and pulled the deputy outside. The SWAT Team arrived, and a hostage negotiator convinced Monier to put the gun down.
Cassady underwent a kidney and pancreas transplant. He later suffered kidney failure again, requiring dialysis at home. Cassady took a medical retirement from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in October 2012. His family has stated that the oral throat cancer that claimed his life in 2025 was linked to the anti-rejection medication he had needed after his transplant.
The Meaning of the Sacrifice
In an interview last summer, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said the 2010 shooting affected those in law enforcement.
- “When you have something that happened like that to a law enforcement officer, it makes every other law enforcement officer stop and think that this could be the next call that you go on. This type of thing could happen, but that’s what makes this job so special that there are people that are willing to, even though the call sounds bad, even though it sounds hazardous, there are men and women that are still very much willing to do the job, to try to help someone, even though it could get them serious injured or it could, in this case ultimately get them killed.”