Ybor City intersection named after Tampa police officer killed in line of duty 77 years ago

YBOR CITY, Fla. - The City of Tampa unveiled a street sign honoring Morris Lopez, a police officer killed in 1949 while shielding a paperboy during a drive-by shooting in Ybor City. 

Officer honored in Ybor City

What we know:

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Police Chief Brett Owen and City Councilor Luis Viera gathered with family members at 9th Avenue and 16th Street to dedicate the intersection. Lopez was 25 years old and a Navy veteran of World War II when he was gunned down. 

He was falling to the ground when witnesses saw him push a young paperboy out of the path of gunfire.

Search for gunman unsolved

What we don't know:

Investigators never identified any suspects in the car as it sped away from the scene. Authorities have not determined who pulled the trigger in the unsolved case.

Legacy of community service

The backstory:

The dedication provided closure to a family that lacked it for decades. 

"A city can remember," said his grandson, Morris Lopez III. "A city can say that a life of service mattered. A city can place a name so that future generations can pass by and ask, 'who was officer Morris Lopez?'" 

Generations answer the call

Dig deeper:

Lopez's grandson became an assistant chief with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, and the son of the paperboy Lopez saved also became a firefighter. 

"While more than 75 years have passed, it does not diminish the sacrifice he made to the community," Owen said. "He answered the call to serve, knowing the risks that came with it. His name is a permanent part of our community." 

Since 1895, 32 TPD officers have died in the line of duty.