Gloomy skies and light rain greeted hundreds upon hundreds of mourners along Bayview Drive in south-end Barrie today as a funeral procession marched its way toward Sadlon Arena, where funeral services were held for two slain South Simcoe police officers.
Constables Morgan Russell, 54, and Devon Northrup, 33, were shot and killed by a man inside a home after responding to a “disturbance" call at an Alcona home in Innisfil last Tuesday night.
The mortally wounded officers were rushed to hospital by emergency run, where Northrup died. Russell was airlifted to a Toronto trauma centre and succumbed to his injuries early the next morning. The 22-year-old man identified as the shooter was pronounced dead after an "exchange of gunfire" with a third officer at the scene.
The sombre quietness of the scene around Thursday's funeral cortege was occasionally broken by the commands shouted out by parade leaders from the different police detachments across Ontario and the rest of Canada, including the RCMP, as they escorted the two hearses along the funeral route.
Matt Noble, an Ontario Provincial Police sergeant and former member of the South Simcoe Police Service, made it clear why so many officers were in the city today to pay their final respects.
“We stand alone together sometimes. As a sign of solidarity, from anyone who wears a uniform, that either protects the public through fire, EMS or police, if you don’t look at this and get a lump in your throat, there’s something wrong with you," Noble said outside Sadlon Arena.
“It’s more important that the families see us supporting them, loving them and continuing to be there for them after today."
The moving funeral service was also personal for Noble.
“I knew Morgan Russell. We worked together for six years on a platoon and we were in recruiting together as well," said Noble, his voice cracking with emotion.
There were members from police forces across the country in attendance, along with firefighters and paramedics, to pay their respects for the fallen officers.
Lance Philip, a staff sergeant with city police Victoria, B.C., came to Barrie for Thursday's solemn service before heading home to attend another ceremony for another fallen officer on the west coast.
“Tragic events," Philip said outside the arena. “We just had a receiving line in the lower mainland in B.C., and I imagine that there will be another service next weekend. We come to these (police funerals) too frequently. You see how it has affected so many people in this community. And look at the turnout today. It’s enormous.”
Barrie police officials were expecting between 6,000 and 8,000 uniformed and civilian police members to attend today's service.
