A sea of blue flooded the streets around a Queens church Saturday morning — thousands of police waiting to pay respects for one of two New York officers who lost their lives in the line of duty last weekend.
More than 25,000 police officers are expected at Christ Tabernacle church in the Glendale neighborhood for the funeral of Rafael Ramos, the New York City police officer murdered one week ago.
A funeral service and procession for Ramos, 40, will start at 10 a.m. at the church, where he was a 14-year member. A police honor guard took his casket into the church.
Vice President Joe Biden, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio are among those in attendance.
Television monitors and loudspeakers will broadcast the service to the crowds packing the streets outside. The church posted a stream of photographs of Ramos’ on YouTube.
The service began with a young woman the church identified as Mia Hunt-Pierce singing the national anthem. Police outside stood at attention. The church choir then sang, “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
A couple of officers booed when de Blasio arrived to the service. Some protest signs were shown, but they were small displays. Those unwelcoming expressions apparently bore on de Blasio’s criticism of police following the two officers’ murders.
Ramos — known to those close to him as Ralph — was gunned down December 20 along with fellow Officer Wenjian Liu as they sat parked in their patrol car in Brooklyn. The pair were assassinated, according to Bratton, simply because of the uniform they wore.
The body of the gunman, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, was found at a subway station shortly after the slayings. He had shot himself.
Ramos leaves a wife, Maritza, and sons Justin and Jaden, the latter of whom recounted how he had to say goodbye to his father in an emotional Facebook post.
“(H)e was the best father I could ask for,” Jaden wrote after the shooting. “It’s horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer. Everyone says they hate cops but they are the people that they call for help. I will always love you and I will never forget you. RIP Dad.”
Justin, the older brother, spoke at his father’s wake at the church Friday, according to CNN affiliate NY 1.
“My father was a man of character. He was a selfless man,” the college sophomore said. “He always went above and beyond for his family, constantly putting everyone before himself. Dad, I’m forever grateful for the sacrifices you made to provide for me and Jaden.”
His pastor, the Rev. Rafael Castillo, said his death was a loss for the church.
“He was a man of great faith, and his faith informed his worldview, not just as a police officer, but as a husband and as a father,” Castillo said. “And as I’ve been saying, we are going to miss him a great deal.”