ROME, Ga. – A solemn procession was held Wednesday for Bentley Beard, the 11-year-old son of a Rome police officer who was killed after being struck by a automotive whereas driving his bicycle.
SEE ALSO: Baby of Rome police officer killed in ‘motorcar accident,’ police say
What we all know:
The consideration experience started on the intersection of Freeway 20 and Interstate 75 in Bartow County and continued to Henderson and Sons Funeral Residence in Rome. Officers described the occasion as a salute to Bentley’s life.
The backstory:
The lethal accident occurred Thursday afternoon within the Silver Creek space of Floyd County. In response to the Rome Police Division, emergency personnel responded to a name a few “motorcar accident” at 3:54 p.m. Regardless of speedy life-saving efforts, the younger sufferer died from his accidents at a neighborhood hospital.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is main the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. No additional particulars have been launched.
What they’re saying:
Judy Holmes stood quietly among the many crowd alongside the facet of the street, struggling to carry again tears. Holmes, whose husband is a retired deputy from Bartow County, stated the tragedy struck near residence. “My husband is a retired deputy right here from Bartow, so this has hit near residence to me,” Holmes stated.
Holmes first discovered of the officer’s dying on-line and commenced following the updates carefully. “This might have been me and my household,” she stated. “Regulation enforcement is an enormous household, does not matter what county you are from.”
Holmes spoke concerning the bond shared throughout the legislation enforcement neighborhood and the deep emotional impression incidents like this have. “It hits residence onerous. That is what I used to be saying. Regulation enforcement is an enormous neighborhood. It does not matter what state or county you are from, so when it impacts considered one of them, it impacts us all,” she stated.
Because the procession ready to cross by, Holmes mirrored on the highly effective feelings she felt being there to witness it. “I’m sorry. I’ll cry and it will hit my coronary heart. For his household,” she stated.
Holding again tears, Holmes defined why the loss felt so private. “As a result of it may very well be, it may been me, it’d simply. And my kids, it didn’t matter about legislation enforcement. Youngsters, that is our kids too. When it impacts considered one of them, it impacts us all.”
The Supply: The main points on this article had been supplied by the Rome Police Division and interviews with folks on the scene.
