Thousands of officers gather to pay tribute to slain Toronto cop

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Weeks earlier than he was fatally shot in a Mississauga, Ont., espresso store, Const. Andrew Hong taught his 17-year-old daughter Mia to drive stick.

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It was one among many classes {the teenager} stated her father, a 22-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service, shared together with her in his life that was outlined by love for his household, work and array of pursuits ranging bikes to meals to photographs of cats, which he and Mia steadily shared on “each attainable messaging platform we had downloaded on our telephones.”

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“Dad, thanks for all the pieces you will have taught me,” she stated at his funeral on Wednesday. “I gained’t neglect it.”

Hong’s qualities as a pure trainer, to his youngsters and trainees within the police pressure’s motorbike unit, had been repeatedly invoked on the service for the fallen officer on the Toronto Congress Centre — which fell on the eve of what would have been his twenty first marriage ceremony anniversary along with his spouse, Jenny.

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“This yr is the primary yr we aren’t celebrating collectively,” Hong’s widow informed the group of mourners. “Andrew, if you’re listening, please know that you’ll at all times and without end be the best love of my life.”

Hong described her husband as a “bigger than life determine” who was beloved by everybody who knew him. He beloved spending time along with his household, who traveled collectively on common holidays, and loved serving to others. He lit up with pleasure after he started his function as a coach, Jenny stated, in a job she stated was “the place he belonged.”

1000’s of law enforcement officials from throughout Canada and the U.S., dignitaries and family members packed a big venue in north Toronto to pay respects a bit greater than every week after the 48-year-old officer was shot lifeless in what has been described as an ambush assault.

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Hong was on a espresso run for his colleagues on the time he was killed — a element that many audio system highlighted as indicative of the generosity that was attribute of the person, who was captivated with his job with the service’s specialised motorbike unit.

Some officers embraced one another and wiped away tears throughout a slideshow of photographs from Hong’s marriage ceremony, holidays with household and time on the job smiling along with his fellow law enforcement officials.

Colleagues had been at instances overcome with emotion as they remembered the person they knew as by the nickname “Honger” as a vibrant, infectious character who introduced humour and kindness to his work and acted as a mentor to many.

Visitors Companies Appearing Supt. Matthew Moyer, whoknew Hong for 12 years, stated his buddy and colleague “blossomed in his function” at visitors providers, a “dream job” for Hong since he first joined the pressure.

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Moyer appeared to struggle again tears as he described Hong’s love for his household and remembered jokes Hong just lately made on the job.

Elected officers from all ranges of presidency had been noticed among the many mourners. Some who didn’t know Hong personally made temporary remarks to the group that emphasised the officer’s dedication to his work and household.

Premier Doug Ford highlighted Hong’s time spent coaching “the subsequent technology of officers” and pointed the scale of the gathered crowd of mourners as an indication of his affect on others.

“I might ask that everybody go searching on the variety of folks right here paying respects to this nice man and attempt to discover some consolation in seeing the affect that he had and the legacy he leaves behind,” the premier stated.

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Toronto Mayor John Tory recalled assembly Hong by probability in the middle of his duties.

“His heat and his presence rapidly informed me who he was: a superb individual and a superb cop,” Tory informed the group.

A bagpiper led pallbearers carryingHong’s coffin, which was draped with a Canadian flag, into the venue, the place many uniformed officers had been left standing in any case seats had been crammed.

Hong was shot lifeless on Sept. 12 whereas on break at a Tim Hortons in Mississauga. One other individual was injured within the capturing and police say the identical suspect then shot three folks at an auto physique store in Milton, Ont., killing two and injuring one, earlier than being shot and killed by police in Hamilton.

In his funeral remarks, interim Toronto police chief James Ramer paid tribute to the opposite victims within the capturing rampage, the primary responders and to the motorbike officers who “refused to go away (Hong’s) facet,” and “the perseverance of investigators to search out the reality.”

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“Make no mistake, the assault on Andrew was, and is, an assault on all of us,” Ramer stated. “Though we can not share within the depth of sorrow and unhappiness that Andrew’s family members really feel, we will all share within the work to uphold his legacy.”

The service received underway after a procession carrying Hong’s casket had pushed by means of the town, with motorbike officers accompanying a hearse alongside quiet Toronto streets.

Uniformed officers from a number of forces, together with an estimated 3,000 members from police providers exterior Toronto, lined the procession path to pay respects.

Police bikes, with illustration from items in Halifax and Michigan, had crammed the parking zone to greet the procession.

Of their eulogies, Hong’s spouse and daughter thanked their beloved one’s colleagues for his or her assist after his dying.

“You guys are his household,” Mia stated. “You might be grieving with us.”