Emotional Funeral for Patrolman Jerry Jones

Saying goodbye was painful in the state’s capital city Wednesday. Those in a large crowd let their emotions show to a memorial service to honor a slain Charleston City Police Patrolman Jerry Jones.

The 27-year-old Jones was caught in crossfire Sunday morning. He was tragically shot and killed by a fellow officer.

Wednesday hundreds of police officers from around the state gathered at the Charleston Municipal Auditorium to pay their final respects.

Officers from as far away as Wheeling and Berkeley County lined up in formation to walk into the auditorium, pass by Jones’ casket and salute. His casket was draped with an American flag and on the edge rested his police hat.

During the service, Jones' minister when he was a boy told the crowd of more than 1,500 that the officer "has answered another call." He recalled that his wife had Jones in her Sunday School class and he won every Bible verse memorization contest growing up.

"He put his life in harm’s way,” the pastor said. ”He had the devotion and commitment to do the best and to try and make a change."

One of Jones' fellow Marines who served with him in Afghanistan read a letter that the young soldier had sent home while he was in the Middle East entitled "A Letter from a Marine."

But the most moving speaker during the service was Jones' shift commander Sgt. Eric Johnson, who himself was shot in the line of duty three years ago.

Johnson recalled how the night of the shooting the B-Shift was planning a get together for the following day. "At that time none of us knew that would be the last tour of duty for Jerry,” he remembered.

Johnson spoke directly to the B-shift saying, "We have a duty to learn from this incident, become better because Police Officer Jerry Jones will not have died in vain,” Johnson said.

After the service, members of the B-Shift carefully carried Jones' casket to the hearse. The vehicle slowly passed underneath a large American Flag hung between two Charleston Fire Department trucks.

Rebecca Snodgrass who works in downtown Charleston stood on the sidewalk as the more than mile long procession of police cars passed by. "When I saw the officers going by in tears...it got me choked up too,” she said.

Jones, who is survived by his wife Samantha, was laid to rest at a family cemetery in Coopers Creek north of Charleston.