SAN FRANCISCO—Redwood City Police Department veteran Officer Gerardo Silva, 57, died of natural causes on Friday,  January 20, while on duty, authorities said.

According to authorities, Silva was working on patrol Friday, when he received a call requesting service at the station. When Silva failed to come back in service upon handling the call, personnel searched the building; he was located inside the police facility, unconscious and not breathing.

Officers made several attempts to revive him before paramedics arrived performing CPR and using an in-house defibrillator. He was transported to Kaiser Hospital where he was later pronounced dead due to natural causes, officials said.

True Blue Warriors (TBW), a law enforcement organization which aims to “bring awareness of the service and sacrifices of men, women and 4-legged heroes”, expressed their condolences in a Facebook post, describing Silva as “incredibly well-liked and respected.”

In its post, TBW wrote that Silva presumably died of a heart attack, adding that his wife—who is also employed by the Redwood City Police Department—was at the police facility when his unconscious body was discovered.

“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Silva family, the Men and Women of the Redwood City PD, the Redwood City Fire/EMS, to the staff at Kaiser Hospital, to the community who truly loved their favorite lawman, and to all whom have had the pleasure and the privilege of knowing and working along side this True Blue Hero,” TBW wrote.

The organization announced that donations could be made through the San Jose Police Officers’ Association’s Charitable Foundation. Donations will be accepted online at www.sjpoa.com or vía check.  Checks can be written to SJPOACF and list ‘Redwood City Police’ in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to SJPOACF at 1151 N 4th Street, San Jose, Ca 95112. Refer to the following link at www.sjpoa.com.”