Community pays respects to fallen Roswell officer as he's laid to rest
Dozens of people lined every awning and corner of Canton Street in downtown Roswell on Wednesday afternoon, and hundreds more packed Roswell United Methodist Church to pay respects to Officer Jeremy Labonte.
Channel 2′s Eryn Rogers was among the members of nearly 60 law enforcement agencies - as near as Alpharetta and as far as Hinesville - who joined a funeral processional to carry Labonte to the church.
'The police and fire folks here stand in front of us every day, whether it's raining, sunshining or snowing, so doing the same for them, that's the least we could do,' said Jack Wyche, who's part of the Roswell Rotary.
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Dozens of people stood in the rain under awnings and umbrellas to pay their respects and support the officer's family.
'These people are the people who protect us, and we need to protect them‚' said Gene Beckham with Roswell's Rotary Club. 'And when something like this happens, the community is heartbroken.'
For some people who lined the processional route, there was a personal connection. Kayley Bynoski, who attends Blessed Trinity, said her dad is in law enforcement for Cherokee County.
'The fear of my father going to work everyday not knowing if he is going to come home, so I can just imagine the heartbreak and pain his family is going through,' Bynoski said.
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Channel 2′s Audrey Washington attended Labonte's funeral, where those who knew him said the 24-year-old took pride in protecting his family and his community.
'He was more than an officer, he was a protector,' one speaker said during the funeral.
'His life was tragically cut short in the line of duty, but his life will live on,' his childhood pastor remembered.
Labonte joined the Roswell Police Department in 2021. The patrol car he drove over those years now serves as a memorial for people to stop by, lay down flowers and honor his life.
'Rest easy Jeremy. We've got the watch from here.'
The City of Roswell set up a memorial fund to help Officer Labonte's family.
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