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Thousands expected for slain officer’s funeral

News

May 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A report in the Daily NonPareil says according to Creighton University officials, more than 5,000 people altogether are expected to have attended the visitation, vigil and funeral of Omaha Police Officer Kerrie Orozco since it began, Monday.

Image from the Orozco Funeral program, via the Omaha P-D Facebook page

Image from the Orozco Funeral program, via the Omaha P-D Facebook page

The 29-year old Orozco was killed last Wednesday after gunfire broke out as she and three other officers tried to arrest Marcus D. Wheeler on a felony warrant charging him with first-degree assault. Wheeler, who shot Orozco once in the upper chest, was shot twice by Sgt. Jeffrey Kopietz. Both the officer and the suspect died at Creighton University Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. John’s Church. A large-screen video feed is offered along with additional seating at the CenturyLink Center. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery. The funeral procession will pass through Council Bluffs today (Tuesday), and the Council Bluffs resident will be buried at St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation was Monday at St. John’s Catholic Church at Creighton University, which was followed by a vigil.

Funeral services will be held at 11-a.m. today at St. John’s Church. A large-screen video feed is offered along with additional seating at the CenturyLink Center. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery. Parking lots reserved for the funeral are the levels of 24th Street and 20th Street garages, McGloin surface lot and the visitors lot (24th and Cass streets). Officials warn those in the area to be prepared to park on the eastern edge of the Creighton campus.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is shutting down all of West Broadway in both directions beginning at about 12:30 p.m. Traffic will be diverted north onto 16th Street. Eastbound traffic on Kanesville Boulevard from Eighth Street to North Avenue will also be closed. No left turns will be allowed across Kanesville Boulevard, police said. Access for north-south traffic will be available on 10th Street, 13th Street, Interstate 29 and 40th Street. Kanesville Boulevard and West Broadway will be reopened when the funeral procession if complete. In addition, McPherson Avenue will be closed from North Avenue to Indian Hills Road.

Orozco was a resident of Council Bluffs and a native of Walnut. She graduated from Walnut High School in 2004 where she played volleyball and basketball and competed in speech. She was a leader at school, as well as in the community she adopted in Omaha. Walnut Mayor Gene Larsen ordered the flags in town to be flown at half-staff in memory of Orozco. Last Friday, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad declared all flags in Iowa to be flown at half-staff from 8-a.m. to 5-p.m. in the slain officer’s honor.

Branstad is among those officials planning on attending the funeral.