Yesterday, police officer Omar Edwards was honored with an "inspectors funeral" at Our Lady of Victory Church in Brooklyn. Thousands attended the funeral for the 25-year-old, who was fatally shot by a fellow officer last week. Mayor Bloomberg gave one of the eulogies, noting how only 18 months ago Edwards was made a cop at a ceremony at Madison Square Garden, "Today, we gather again, this time to praise the gallant spirit of that dynamic, young police officer, and also to pray for him as he makes life's final journey. So to the family, friends, neighbors and fellow officers of Omar Edwards, let me express the deepest condolences of 8.4 million New Yorkers." He added, "I promise you all that we’ll do everything possible to learn from this awful tragedy."
His widow Danielle and his two young sons, Xavier 18 months old and Keanu 7 months old, were a heartbreaking sight. Police Chaplain Robert Romano said in the homily, "Xavier and Keanu are asleep right now, but we want them to know when they grow up that their father was a hero and that they have thousands of aunts and uncles who will be there for them." A cop from Washington D.C. was present for the funeral; the NY Times noticed that Officer Brian Glover stood alone, since he knew no one, "I had to be here. We all wear a similar uniform. We do the same job."
Edwards was killed while chasing a man he suspected of breaking into his car. Off-duty a the time, Edwards was in plain clothes and carrying his gun during the chase when police officers came upon the scene, with one ultimately shooting Edwards. The investigation is continuing; some witnesses say that the shooting officer, Andrew Dunton, yelled at Edwards to drop his gun. Today, the Daily News reports that the sergeant at the scene has a history of complaints—13 since 1996, but only one is substantiated.
