Loved ones honor fallen Selma police officer during memorial mass

REEDLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A memorial wide successful the hometown of a fallen officer, Gonzalo Carrasco Jr., brought the assemblage unneurotic connected Wednesday night.

A connection of emotion and household was shared by worshipers astatine Saint Anthony's Church successful Reedley successful grant of the member successful faith, who wasn't there.

A poignant connection "of erstwhile a leader dies" was displayed connected a poster with an angel supra an representation of Carrasco Jr., who was killed successful the enactment of work 1 twelvemonth ago.

The aforesaid representation was printed connected memorial sweatshirts worn by friends and family, bringing his begetter to tears.

"It's a logo connected the backmost of the garment is his face. When I deterioration it, I consciousness similar he's adjacent to me," said Gonzalo Carrasco, Sr., Officer Carrasco's father.

Carrasco Sr. says the household is profoundly grateful for the emotion and enactment of the community.

"It hurts each clip radical speech astir this, but astatine the aforesaid time, we admit radical doing this for my son," said Carrasco Sr.

Blue ribbons lined the pews, showing enactment for police, including Dinuba serviceman Karla Alvarez, who besides attended the mass.

She invited america backmost to her location Tuesday to reflect connected the twelvemonth since Carrasco Jr.'s decease and stock the joyousness of babe lad Max, who ne'er got to conscionable his begetter but looks truthful overmuch similar his dad.

At the evening mass, Alvarez appreciated the continuing clasp of the assemblage to assistance easiness the flood of memories with each notation of Carrasco Jr.

"It's similar re-living the past year. Seeing the aforesaid faces, the emotion and enactment either way, but it's conscionable long. It's been agelong and exhausting," explained Alvarez.

But done immoderate hardships ahead, Alvarez is committed to sharing with Max, his father's beingness and legacy.

"I can't hold until helium knows what's going connected and helium understands who his begetter was and what everyone is doing for him. It's thing that I cognize is going to mean a batch to him,"

Officer Carrasco's household plans to be the ceremonial successful Washington DC, astatine the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial successful May erstwhile his sanction volition beryllium added to the monument.

The Selma Police Department is accepting donations and hosting fundraisers to wage for the family's flight.

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