Saturday was an emotional day for family, friends and the New Orleans Police Department as fallen Officer Marcus McNeil was laid to rest.
Hundreds gathered at the Household of Faith Church in New Orleans East. Officer McNeil was shot just three block away from the church while doing a routine patrol.
“I would just like to say thank you to the officer. For paying the ultimate price to try to protect me,” community member Vernette Wallis Andry said.
Wallis Andry did not personally know Officer McNeil, but came to his funeral to support him and every other officer.
“I just cried ‘cause I just felt the pain of the police officers. You could see it in their face, in their hearts and the outpouring of the community was just overwhelming,” she said.
After the funeral, pallbearers carried Officer McNeil’s casket, draped in red, white and blue, into the hearse.
The procession went for miles.
Officer McNeil’s body made one final stop at the NOPD 7th District precinct and then continued on to the cemetery.
“I think when something like this happens, and it's a tragedy for the family, that we need to honor and respect them. If we have time, to come out and show our respect, I think we need to do that,” community member Chuck Lamarche said.
Through this tragedy, unity stood strong.
“You know, there's no black and white, rich and poor at the end of the day. We all God's children. We all bleed red blood. And when one of us hurt, I feel we all hurt,” Wallis Andry said.
Officer McNeil leaves behind a wife and two young daughters. If you would like to help the McNeil family, you can drop off a donation at any Whitney Bank in the city.