Archbishop: Slain officer gave life, showed best of police
DENVER — A Colorado police officer shot and killed after rushing into a supermarket where a gunman opened fire sacrificed his life and showed what is best about police, Denver’s archbishop said Monday during a funeral Mass for Officer Eric Talley.
“Jesus has told us, greater love than this no man has than to lay down his life, and Eric lived that,” Archbishop Samuel Aquila said during the traditional Latin Mass, the style beloved by Talley, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver.
Aquila offered his prayers and condolences for Talley’s family, which include his wife and seven children. He also said he would pray for the protection of police, who are too often “taken for granted.”
“For too often, you are taken for granted and yet in situations like this, you are the ones who protect human life,” Aquila said.
Talley’s casket, draped in black and flanked by six unbleached beeswax candles to signify that he has gone to God in his natural state, stood near the altar as the Rev. Dan Nolan led celebration of the Mass in Latin, which included interludes of ethereal singing by a choir as well as chanting. Talley’s family, at their request, was not shown on a livestream of the service and no family or friends spoke during the service that followed the style that pre-dated reforms made by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.
According to police, officers arrived at the store one minute and 40 seconds after being alerted to the shooting on March 22. They said Talley led an initial team of officers inside within 30 seconds of arriving and the suspect, later identified as Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, shot at the officers, killing Talley. Nine other people, including customers and workers, were also killed.