Thousands of people paid their respects Thursday to a police officer who was fatally shot during a traffic stop.
A wake for Auburn Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. was held Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Charlton, Massachusetts. A funeral Mass was planned for 11 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph, followed by burial at Greenville Baptist Church Cemetery in Tarentino's hometown of Leicester.
"Just really special people," Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said of Tarentino's family after meeting with them at St. Joseph Catholic Church. "And handling what really has to be a catastrophe with just an incredible amount of grace."
Among those to attend the wake were childhood friends like Billy Flynn, who attended Tewksbury Memorial High School with Tarentino and had kept in touch with his old friend over the years.
"Not that this should have happened to anybody, but Ron was the last guy this should have happened to," Flynn told the Telegram and Gazette of Worcester.
The 42-year-old police officer was shot in the back by Jorge Zambrano during a traffic stop early on Sunday, authorities said. Zambrano was later killed after he fired at police from a bedroom closet inside a duplex apartment, injuring a state trooper, state officials said.
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Zambrano had a long criminal history, and some have criticized the judicial system for allowing him to be free after a string of recent arrests and repeated probation violations.
A law enforcement source confirmed to necn Zambrano was using a stolen .45 caliber handgun out of Athol.
Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey said in a statement Wednesday that court officials are reviewing all Zambrano's interactions with the court system, including the probation department. Carey said a preliminary review shows no violation of court rules, laws or procedures. She said a thorough review of Zambrano's court cases is a "major priority" for the Trial Court.
Tarentino was the son of a longtime Medford officer and an avid outdoorsman. He's survived by his wife and three sons.
