Fallen officers honored at candlelight vigil

Heralding them heroes, Mayor Randy Toms expressed gratitude and thankfulness for both fallen and serving law enforcement officers Monday.

“Law enforcement is under stresses today like never before in the history of mankind,” Toms told those assembled for a candlelight vigil at Southside Baptist Church. “There was a time when there was little doubt that you were counted among the heroes of our society. However, today that status is being challenged.

“Being a hero is not an easy label to carry, and I have no doubt that no law enforcement officer entered their service for the privilege of wearing the title, ‘hero.’ In that regard, it must be said, and I will say it loudly, ‘You are our heroes.’ ”

Bibb County sheriff’s investigator T.J. Freeman was among the fallen officers honored at the vigil. Freeman, 29, was killed May 5 when his patrol vehicle was struck by a suspect’s vehicle, knocking his patrol car into the side of house.

The tribute included a color guard, the playing of bag pipes, a flag folding ceremony, the playing of taps and a final roll call. The vigil was part of National Police Week activities scheduled by Warner Robins police.

Others honored at the vigil included:

▪  Montgomery County Sheriff Ladson Lamar O’Conner, 42, was killed June 16, 2015, in police pursuit.

▪  Georgia Department of Corrections officer Gregory Dale Mitchell, 50, died July 7, 2015, in an industrial accident at the Hays State Prison in Trion.

▪  Georgia Department of Corrections Sgt. James Bryan McCrystal, 47, was killed July 14, 2015, in a hit-and-run crash. He was on his way from Phillips State Prison to a hospital to help supervise an inmate.

▪  Chatham County sheriff’s Deputy Richard Allen Hall, 45, died Sept. 16, 2015, when, while attempting to make a U-turn, his patrol car was struck by another vehicle.

▪  DeKalb County police Officer Kevin Jermaine Toatley, 35, was killed Sept. 19, 2015, when his patrol car was struck head-on by the driver of a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction.

▪  Georgia Ports Authority police Cpl. William Matthew Solomon, 43, died Nov. 19, 2015, from injuries sustained when he was struck by a drunken driver while directing traffic at the Garden Center Terminal in Savannah.

▪  Riverdale police Maj. Greg Barney, 51, was shot and killed Feb. 11, 2016, while helping the Clayton County Police Department serve a warrant.

Candles were also lit for fallen police dogs: Savannah State University police K-9 Beason and Conyers police K-9 Zane.

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 8:51 PM with the headline "Fallen officers honored at candlelight vigil."