Community members will gather in Chula Vista this weekend to honor the legacies of two San Diego police officers who were killed in the line of duty.
The Filipino American Law Enforcement Officers Association is holding a CrossFit fundraiser at NXPT Fitness Studio on Saturday called the "5721 Fitness Throwdown." Those numbers refer to the badge numbers of Officer Jonathan De Guzman, who was killed in 2016.
The event raises money for a scholarship fund named in De Guzman's honor that helps high-performing, underrepresented high school seniors and college students, many of whom are from the South Bay. This year's fundraiser will also raise money for the families of Officer Austin Machitar, who was killed in a fiery crash in Clairemont last month, and his partner that night, Officer Zach Martinez, who is recovering from the crash.
Thirty teams of San Diego police officers and other law enforcement officers have signed up for the third annual event, which is a charity workout.
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"The proceeds that we raise for the family is going to go to help offset costs that may be surprises for them," Christopher Cruz, president of the Filipino American Law Enforcement Officers Association in San Diego, said. "We just want to give as much as we can. So far, the community in San Diego has been generous with their donations."
Donations are welcome at the studio, and all proceeds from vendors and food trucks will be donated to the cause.
"These police officers put their lives on the line every day they go to work," Dan Hark, owner of NXPT, told NBC 7. "Any way we can leverage our gym and our members and our competitions to give back, we're going to take advantage of it."
