Henrietta, NY - Anthony “Tony” Wallace lived in Rochester for about decade; first as a standout wrestler for R.I.T. and later as a coach and campus safety officer. Wallace, friends and colleagues say, made a habit out of achieving goals he set for himself. At the time of his death he was one of the only deaf police officers in the country.
Wallace, 32, and fellow police officer Matthew Tokuoka, 39, were gunned down in the village of 800 people that they had sworn to protect. Alaska State Troopers call the shootings an ambush; Wallace was on duty at the time and Tokuoka was off-duty but nearby talking to Wallace just prior to the shots. Both men later died from their injuries.
The shooting led to a two-day long standoff with the alleged gunman; John Marvin Jr., 45, was taken into custody Monday and charged with two counts of first degree murder. Associated Press reports state that Marvin had a previous altercation with both officers in 2009 and that criminal charges against him for that incident were eventually dismissed.
In the Rochester and R.I.T. community, Wallace is remembered as someone with an outgoing and fun-loving personality. In 2008 the three-time All-American wrestler was inducted into R.I.T.’s Athletic Hall of Fame. After his wrestling days ended in 2002, Wallace went on to work as an assistant coach for the team, as well as becoming an R.I.T. Public Safety Officer.
"Him being on staff for wrestling...he knew all the activities going on, so if our wrestlers were doing things they shouldn't be doing, Tony knew because he was campus security,” R.I.T. Wrestling Coach Scott Stever said. "As a wrestler he was just so focused on what he wanted to accomplish."
In his Hall of Fame induction video Wallace made sure to thank one of his closest friends and teammates, Ashley John Grillo.
"Tony was a very passionate person, he kind of wore his heart on his sleeve and he did everything full-on," Grillo said of the friend who would often spend weekends and holidays with Grillo’s family. "He just liked being on the mats and just wrestling, I don't really think he cared if he got paid or not, that was just what he liked to do and that was like his home. Then he made R.I.T. his home and he made Rochester his home."
Wallace was born and raised in Ohio where he aspired to one day follow in his father and grandfather’s footsteps and become a police officer. In 2003, 13WHAM News found Wallace helping local police officers learn how to interact with the deaf community.
True to form, Wallace achieved that goal too; moving to Alaska in 2008 to accept a position with the Hoonah, Alaska Police Department. His friends and coach said it made sense, given Wallace’s love of the outdoors and hunting.
"It was nice to see him in a service position doing things for other people, helping other people out,” Grillo said of his friend’s job. “I think that's what he liked doing."
On patrol with Wallace Saturday night was the person who followed his career the closest. His mother was visiting her son from Florida and happened to be riding along in his police car that evening. It was the first time she visited her son in Alaska according to Jamie Brothers, a close friend of Wallace and his family. She was just feet away when her son was shot and killed.
