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Community gathers to say first goodbyes to fallen police officer

5 years 9 months 6 days ago Wednesday, February 06 2019 Feb 6, 2019 February 06, 2019 10:21 PM February 06, 2019 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - Family, friends and fellow officers are remembering Cpl. Shane Totty. Totty died last Friday in a motorcycle accident while escorting a funeral. Wednesday night was the first time those who knew him had the chance to say goodbye at a visitation service at Greenoaks Funeral Home.

“It’s just cruel,” said retired Capt. Don Kelly. “It’s such a sad irony that everything he had for him is taken away in just a split second.”

Kelly oversaw Totty before he retired as his commander.

“I felt very close to Shane and got to know him and we had a heart to heart talk about the experience he had been through,” he said.

Kelly says it's hard to remember Totty without talking about his life last year. He showed strength, courage, and resilience after being injured in a shooting on the job.

"It was such a roller coaster of a recovery. I don't think the public ever knew just how close he came to losing his eye, and also, really, to dying,” said Kelly.

Cpl. Totty also became a dad. He and his fiance had a baby girl.

“He adored their baby girl, absolutely lived for her,” said Kelly. “It's so sad that she'll grow up never knowing her father, but hopefully she'll get to know about him from all of the people who had the privileged to work with him and know him when he was alive.”

Those who worked alongside Totty went to the visitation mourning themselves, and for Totty's family.

"To show them that they're not alone. There are thousands, hundreds of thousands of people mourning with them for the loss of a good officer,” said John Colter with the Blue Knights. “I just hope it brings some measure of comfort to know that other people are standing behind them and beside them.”

There is another visitation tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Healing Place Church. The funeral will follow shortly after 11 a.m.

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