Father of fallen DPS trooper Tyler Edenhofer speaks out

When Keith Welscher heard the news of his son's death Thursday morning, he couldn't wrap his mind around it.

"Even now it feels like a nightmare," said Welscher. "I keep looking at my phone [to believe that] he's okay, he will make it."

Welscher, who lives in Kentucky, is now dealing with the whiplash after hearing his ambitious, fun-loving 24-year-old son Tyler Edenhofer's life was cut short Wednesday night.

Edenhofer had been responding to reports of a man throwing rocks at cars near the I-10 when a fight broke out between the suspect and the responders.

At some point, the suspect took a trooper's gun and shot Edenhofer, killing him.

"I can't understand why you did what you did," Edenhofer's father said about the shooter. "You took a life. The only way to heal is to forgive him, and I hope he finds peace with what [he] did."

Welscher says Edenhofer, a Navy veteran, was excited to serve and protect Arizona with the Department of Public Safety.

The young trooper had finished his academy training with one final week left of field training.

He leaves behind a fiance and a younger brother and sister who loved him dearly, Welscher said.

However, Welscher said his son died doing what he was best at - protecting the public.

"He did what he loves," said Welscher. "I don't think he would have any regrets."