Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie Jr.’s voice cracked as he strayed from his prepared remarks to respond to the criticism police across the country have received over a steady stream of videotaped killings of black people by police.
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The Baton Rouge sheriff’s deputy killed last Sunday ran to help another officer when he could have stayed safe in the convenience store where he was working off-duty, a minister said at his funeral Saturday.
One of three law enforcement officers shot to death Sunday in an ambush by a lone gunman, Gerald will be remembered at services Friday, the first of the final goodbyes for the three.
People who spoke at his funeral service spoke of not just his service as an officer, but that of all law enforcement officers around the world.
There have been many other cases where the police actively tried to thwart the truth in an attempt to cover up their crimes, the most recent being the incident in Arizona where officers turned on their body cameras only after they had shot and killed Donald S. Myers.
(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert). East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid J. Gautreaux, III places his hand on the casket of deputy Brad Garafola, after it was transferred from carriage to hearse, at the scene where Garafola and two Baton Rouge police were killed, in B…
Garafola’s family wanted a collage of family photos inside, Ganem said. The day after that, a black gunman in Dallas opened fire during a protest against the Minnesota and Baton Rouge shootings, and killed five police officers.
Funeral services are being held Saturday for Garafola in Baton Rouge.
Thousands gathered to say goodbye, including two Tarrant police officers who showed support for their brother in blue.
Baton Rouge’s mayor and police chief hailed Gerald as a hero who proudly served his country during three tours in Iraq before joining the police force nine months ago. He added that Garafola’s family plans to have him cremated after the funeral and will also receive a customized urn.
Gautreaux told reporters earlier that surveillance video showed Garafola firing at the gunman as bullets hit the concrete around him. “He returned fire to the very end”, the sheriff said.
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He leaves behind a wife and four children: a 21-year-old son, a 15-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter.
