Dozens of police vehicles, motorcycles and fire engines were parked outside Purpose Church in Pomona, where the service for Greggory Casillas began about 9:30 a.m. Gov. Jerry Brown and state Attorney General Xavier Becerra were among the many dignitaries in attendance.
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After the fallen officer's flag-draped coffin was removed from a hearse, eight Pomona officers escorted it into the church as bagpipe players walked in front of them.
Casillas, 30, was gunned down on the evening of March 9 in the 1400 block of Palomares Street. The fatal sequence of events began when the officers responded to a report of a reckless vehicle, and a short chase ensued.
After the suspect's truck crashed into a parked vehicle, the officers chased him on foot. The suspect then ran into an apartment, and as officers attempted to contact him, the suspect began firing through the door.
A fellow officer, Alex Nguyen, survived after being wounded in the shooting. Officials say Nguyen, who was shot in the face while coming to Casillas' aid, has been "doing well" after being released from a hospital.
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The suspect, 39-year-old Isaias de Jesus Valencia, was taken into custody following a 15-hour standoff. He has been charged with capital murder.
Casillas was an Upland resident who had been with the police department since 2014, though he was only sworn in as an officer in September of last year and was close to finishing his field training at the time of the fatal incident.
At the service, Casillas' father shared a story of his son helping some teenagers who were going down the wrong path -- a testament to Casillas' character.
"I didn't know how big his heart was. Now, I do know. He was twice the man that I was," he said.
Casillas is survived by his wife and his two young sons.
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