A fallen police officer was laid to rest near his hometown in Niagara County Friday. Lockport native Jared Forsythe died on duty with the Ocala, Florida Police Department last week.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Friday morning at St. John the Baptist Church in Lockport. It was attended by hundreds of officers from across the region and the nation.
"He liked to make everyone smile and laugh. He worked very hard. He was a person you wanted to be around all the time," said Ocala Police Sergeant Lee Whitston.
"He put his heart into his work. He's going to be dearly missed."
Forsythe died last week from a gunshot suffered when a colleague's weapon discharged after a training exercise. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, but he was struck in the side where there was no protection.
The 33-year-old's mother, Amy Juliano, says the other officer is in her prayers. Juliano says the support she has gotten from police around the world fills her heart.
"A lot of agencies have been getting some bad press lately. I just want everyone to know that there's more good out there than there are bad," Juliano said.
Forsythe is survived by his parents and several siblings. He was laid to rest in Hartland Central Cemetery in Gasport.
