A Dublin-born police officer working as a New Jersey State Trooper was killed in Philadelphia while responding to a fire following a crash on one of the US east coast's busiest routes.
Sean Cullen, who was born in Dublin in 1985 and emigrated to the United States in March 1988, was struck while walking around a burning car at the scene of a crash on the busy Interstate-295 motorway, one of the main road arteries connecting Washington DC and New York City.
Mr Cullen (31) was hit by a vehicle passing the scene at about 8.15pm local time on Monday, according to investigators quoted by local US media, when several fire and police vehicles were also on the scene. The burning car was also struck by the passing vehicle.
The police officer sustained head injuries and was pronounced dead at Cooper University Hospital in the New Jersey town of Camden shortly after 12.30am on Tuesday.
The state police said that it was still investigating the cause and circumstances of the crash.
Mr Cullen is survived by his fiancée and their nine-month-old son, his mother, father, two brothers and a sister.
He was stationed in the south New Jersey town of Bellmawr near the Pennsylvania border, about 15km south of Philadelphia.
New Jersey governor Chris Christie, until last month a Republican candidate for US president, mourned the death of Trooper Cullen.
"Every day, the men and women of the New Jersey State Police put their lives on the line to protect our citizens," Mr Christie said in a statement.
“The sudden and tragic loss of New Jersey State Trooper Sean Cullen reminds us how fragile life truly is and the dangers police officers face daily on the job.”
One of Mr Cullen’s brothers also served as a state trooper.
"It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing to Trooper Sean Cullen, who the made the ultimate sacrifice while helping those in need," Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police said, according to a statement posted by the police on Facebook.
“His life and service to the citizens of New Jersey can be characterised as honourable, loyal and faithful.”
