By Betsy Finklea
The fourth annual Jackson Winkeler Memorial Ruck was held on Friday, January 5th.
In the cold morning air, several public safety members made the six mile trek from the Latta Police Department to the Dillon County Judicial Center in memory of Winkeler’s sacrifice.
The group walked the six miles in honor of Winkeler’s unit number, Airport Six. Winkeler’s patrol car, which has been retired, led the ruck with family members in the vehicle.
“The Memorial Ruck we do in memory of Jackson’s ultimate sacrifice has and will continue to have one primary mission, and that is to keep his memory alive. We want people who knew him to remember how amazing he was an individual and those that didn’t know him, learn what an example he set. Jackson loved people and he loved public safety. The word legend should be used when we continue to remember him,” said Latta Police Chief Zane Bryant.
Winkeler, a Florence Regional Airport Public Safety Officer, was shot and killed on Sunday morning, January 6, 2020, during a traffic stop at the age of 26. It was the first officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2020. A man named James Edward Bell of Homestead, FL, was charged with murder, discharging of firearm into vehicle, and possession of weapon during violent crime in the incident.
The event is always a poignant reminder of the sacrifice of our public safety officers, the dangers they face, and the fragility of life.
