BLUFFDALE — Friends, family and neighbors say corrections officer Stephen Anderson will be remembered as a compassionate, gentle, giving man who spent his life serving others.

Anderson, 60, a lifelong resident of Bluffdale, was shot and killed Monday in the line of duty. It was a job he loved, said Mark Anderson, Stephen Anderson's cousin and family spokesman.

"He loved working with people who had challenges," Mark Anderson said. "Many people have benefited from his care and his tenderness."

Stephen Anderson worked for the Department of Corrections for more than 22 years and spent much of that time transporting prisoners to and from court or the hospital. He was well-respected by his colleagues, Mark Anderson said, "and, incredibly, by many of the prisoners as well."

Anderson had taken inmate Curtis Allgier to a University of Utah medical clinic Monday morning when, police say, Allgier stole the officer's gun, shot him in the head and escaped. Allgier was later arrested and taken to the Salt Lake County Jail.

"I think the family knew there were some inherent dangers associated with the job in transporting prisoners," Mark Anderson said. "At the same time, I don't think the family ever realized that anything like this could ever happen."

Mark Anderson read a family statement Monday afternoon in Bluffdale. In addition to thanking all those who have supported the family during a most difficult time, the statement also expressed compassion for the gunman's family.

"(We) hope they can experience peace and not be judged, that they too can feel the loving arms of a caring and loving Heavenly Father," according to the statement.

Stephen Anderson leaves behind what friends and neighbors described as a close-knit family who acted as if they were each other's best friends. He is survived by his wife, Millie, five children and 16 grandchildren.

"I don't know another man who is as dedicated to his family as Stephen is," Mark Anderson said. "Like any great father, Steve's life has centered around his family and their interests."