Thousands Bid Farewell To Fallen Lower Burrell Officer

LOWER BURRELL, Pa.,None — Thousands of people, including family, friends, state representatives and local and out of state police officers, gathered on Monday to remember slain officer Derek Kotecki.

The officer was slain while trying to arrest suspect, Charles Post, 33, on Wednesday. Other officers shot at Post, who was killed, though Westmoreland County Coroner Kenneth Bacha has yet to determine whether Post's fatal wound was self-inflicted.

A police-escorted procession left Rusiewicz Funeral Home in Lower Burrell on Monday morning and included a horse-drawn caisson with the casket bearing Kotecki's body.

"We recognize that his efforts that night were valiant and heroic, but there is evil in this world unfortunately and men and women of law enforcement go to work every day knowing that there is evil in this world," said Chief John Otto of Penn Township.

Officer Remembered At Funeral Service Family, Friends Say Goodbye Chopper 11 Over Procession Procession Photos

The funeral home was only a few blocks from the police station where the husband and father of two would have celebrated his 18th anniversary as a city officer this week, but is some four miles away from Mount St. Peter Church in neighboring New Kensington, where the funeral was held at 11 a.m.

Marty Link was one of the many Pittsburgh police officers in attendance.

"It breaks my heart when I have to do this," Link said. "It's very hard to come out here and do this. Especially listening to the bagpipes, I got to the point where I hate to listen to them because it means sadness to me."

At the end of the mass, the officer's emotional family stood on the front steps of the church.

Following the funeral mass, Kotecki's body was taken to Greenwood Memorial Park in Lower Burrell.

A few years ago, Kotecki told friends if he was killed he wanted all the lights and sirens going full blast at his funeral. Sirens on scores of police and emergency vehicles turned the six-mile procession to a nearby cemetery into a hard-to-ignore tribute to his life.

"It was a showing of love. The entire community came together," said representative Jason Altmire.

"They were all holding flags with signs. People took their hats off. People were making the sign of the cross. Driving through that, I was just overwhelmed by it," said monsignor James Gaston, who presided over the funeral mass.

Police closed roads between the funeral home and church and church and cemetery.

Local businesses and civic groups have taken up collections to aid the officer's widow and their two sons, ages 13 and 11, and even the Pittsburgh Penguins and Steelers took up collections before games over the weekend.

At the time of last week's shooting, Post was wanted on attempted homicide and other charges for allegedly firing gunshots at his boss, a contractor, during a work-related dispute in a New Kensington motel parking lot on Oct. 2.

Police couldn't find Post that day, though he was in cellphone contact with police himself, as well as through family or friends who acted as intermediaries, as police attempted to apprehend him in the ensuing days.

Kotecki, a K-9 officer in Lower Burrell, was among the first to arrive when police were told to expect to find Post at a Dairy Queen on Route 366, just a few hundred yards outside the New Kensington city limits.

Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said Post, who had threatened officers during prior phone conversations, stepped out of the passenger seat of a Jeep and opened fire on Kotecki, killing him almost instantly. Other officers shot at Post who ran behind the ice cream store but couldn't scale a fence to escape and, according to officers on the scene, then turned his gun on himself.

Vigil Held For Slain Officer

On Sunday, a candlelight vigil was held in memory of Kotecki. His family was there, and they thanked all those who have shown their support over the past several days.

Kotecki's children and fellow officers left the funeral home to greet those who came out to show their support.

"I lost a brother today," Link said. "He shouldn't have died. It's a sad moment."

Earlier in the evening, officers took part in a Fraternal Order of Police memorial as officer Kotecki's patrol car sat parked outside the funeral home with its lights flashing.

First responders also paid their respects to the fallen officer with a flyover by two helicopters.

Neighbors in Lower Burrell are honoring Kotecki by tying ribbons along the funeral route. A local business made more than 120 blue and black ribbons that now line Leechburg Road.

A memorial fund has been set up at S&T Bank.

Donations can be sent to the bank at the following address:

4251 Old William Penn Highway Murrysville, PA 15668

Checks can be made payable to the "Derek Kotecki Memorial Fund."

Family, Friends Pay Tribute To Fallen Officer

Family, friends and colleagues also gathered Saturday to pay tribute to Kotecki. Just after his visitation began, an officer brought Kotecki's car, and two black ribbons were placed on it. The car sat outside of the funeral home all day.

Devan Middleby said Kotecki was well-known at Lower Burrell High School.

"He was a really good police officer," Middleby said. "He came every morning."

Ann Neusch had never met Kotecki, but said she knew she had to come.

"Everyone in Lower Burrell feels this," Neusch said. "I felt it too. I felt like I had to come."

Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley showed up to pay his respects.

"When we lose a hero like Derek in the line of duty, it is incumbent on us to show our respect to his memory," Cawley said. "We have to try to offer some healing comfort to the family."

The community has already come together to support the Kotecki family. There have already been boot drives, and other fundraisers are being planned.

Previous Stories: October 15, 2011: Officers From All Over The Country Expected At Funeral For Lower Burrell Officer October 14, 2011: Fugitive's Friend Alerted Police Before Officer's Killing October 14, 2011: Suspect In Lower Burrell Police Shooting Had Criminal History

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