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A rookie Arizona police officer was killed in the line of duty – 18 years after his father also died on the job, according to a family friend who said they’re probably now “patrolling up there in heaven together.”

Joshua Briese, 23, was fatally shot early Saturday when he responded to a disturbance at a house party in the Gila River Indian Community. He had been a tribal officer with the Gila River Police Department for less than a year, and was still in field training.

His father, David Briese, had been 36 when he died in a car wreck in 2006 while at work with the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office in Montana.

Despite that crushing loss, Joshua Briese grew up dreaming of a career in law enforcement, family friend Capt. Kent O’Donnell, who’d worked with the dad, told AZ Family.

“I actually had to try and talk him out of it a few times, but he had his heart set. He wanted to be a police officer and just wanted to make his dad proud,” O’Donnell explained.

“They’re probably driving around patrolling up there in heaven together, and it makes us smile a little bit knowing that they’re together again.”

Both David and Joshua  “left this world serving their community and doing what they loved,” the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office said in an emotional statement.

Joshua Briese was killed when multiple gunshots were fired at the scene of the house party on the tribal land around 2 a.m. Saturday, police said.

A second officer was also shot, and remained in serious by stable condition on Monday, according to AZ Family.

Four other victims were also shot, police said. Alicen Apkaw, 23, later died from her injuries.

A man and an underage boy have been arrested in connection with the shooting, the FBI Phoenix announced.

Tribal leaders also passed a temporary ban on all house parties in the wake of the weekend shooting.

A man and an underage boy have been arrested in connection with the shooting, the FBI Phoenix announced.

With Post wires

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