Garrett Swasey rushed 10 miles to help when he received reports of the gunman attacking the Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs. The other two victims are yet to be named.
A 57-year-old man, Robert Dear, has been arrested.
Mr Swasey was married to Rachel and had two young children: Elijah, 10, and Faith, 6.
He been a part of Hope Church in Colorado Springs with his family for 14 years.
It's co-pastor, Scott Dontanville, told CNN: "He might not be in alignment with the abortion industry, but he'd be willing to go in and lay down his life for those people, and that's just the testimony to me of the kind of man that he is.
"Not just courageous, but Christlike.
"He would want us to forgive this man and to go on with our lives."
This is how Hope Church described Garrett and Rachel on the elders section of their website: "Both have been granted a servant's heart by God, and are a demonstrative evidence of God's grace to Hope Chapel.
"Garrett works full time in Law Enforcement and provides oversight to our Care Groups.
"Additionally, as an elder, you will find him sharing his teaching gift as part of the teaching team and sharing his guitar skills on the worship team."
A candelit vigil was held for Garrett Swasey and the two other victims last night.
Mr Swasey was also a national-level ice skater as a young man.
An education fund has been set up for Garrett Swasey's family, to put his two children through college.
