Police officers from around the country gathered in Westmoreland County Wednesday morning to pay their respects as fallen Officer Brian Shaw was laid to rest.
Thousands of officers, first responders, military and members of the community lined the streets in New Kensington as Officer Shaw’s casket was led out of the funeral home, to the church and then to the cemetery. Officers traveled from as far away as Virginia and Colorado to pay their respects.
The Slippery Rock University community paid their respects by holding a moment of silence at 10 a.m. Officer Shaw was a 2013 SRU graduate and four-year member of The Rock football team.
“This is a terribly difficult time for the Slippery Rock football brotherhood,” SRU head coach Shawn Lutz said in a statement. “Brian was not just a great player, but was an even better person. He told us just this year how excited he was to become a police officer because he really just wanted to help people. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as all of his former teammates in The Rock football brotherhood.”
Officer Shaw, a rookie police office for the New Kensington Police Department, lost his life in the line of duty on Friday.
The man accused of shooting and killing him was arrested Tuesday after a four-day manhunt. 29-year-old Rahmael Sal Holt ran after being pulled over by Officer Shaw, and then opened fire.
