Denver’s first responders and employees at Denver International Airport will face off in a hockey tournament Monday to help raise money for the family of fallen Douglas County Deputy Zackari Parrish.
The 3-on-3 tournament at the airport’s skating rink is free. Attendees will be encouraged to make donations to the .
To start, the Denver Police Department will take on the Denver Fire Department, and the Denver paramedics will challenge airport employees. The winners will face off to determine the champions.
“We’re hoping to get a good turnout,” Denver police Cmdr. Tony Lopez said. “We have a jersey signed by the (Colorado) Avalanche players that we’ll be auctioning off. All proceeds will go to the Parrish family.”
The tournament will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday. The skating rink is between the Jeppesen Terminal and the Westin Hotel.
Parrish was killed during an ambush at a Lone Tree apartment New Year’s Eve morning. Four other law enforcement officials were wounded. His funeral was Friday.
Lopez said he had been discussing a hockey game between members of Denver police and fire department on the ice at DIA with airport staffers for a while. After Parrish’s death, airport spokeswoman Stacey Stegman suggested turning that idea into a fundraiser for the slain deputy.
Lopez, whose son, Denver police Sgt. Tony Lopez Jr. was shot six times in an ambush during a traffic stop in 2015 but survived, said he wants the Parrish family to know they are cared for and supported.
“Itap just one law enforcement family feeling for another law enforcement family and all of us circling the wagons and trying to something for the Parrish family; helping them as they are trying to get through a very, very difficult time in their lives,” he said.
