Thousands of well-wishers and mourners gathered Wednesday at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a memorial service for slain campus police officer Sean Collier.
Mr. Collier, 27, was shot and killed in his patrol car last Thursday. Investigators believe the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing — now-deceased 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his hospitalized brother, 19-year-old Dzhokhar — shot and killed him.
“Officer Collier didn’t just have a job at MIT. He had a life at MIT,” said the university’s president, L. Rafael Reif, during opening remarks at the scheduled three-hour service, USA Today reported.
Vice President Joe Biden was due to attend. Singer James Taylor was scheduled to sing, to MIT Symphony Orchestra music. And President Obama sent a message from the White House.
Mr. Collier was “dedicated,” Mr. Obama said, CNN reported. “We are grateful to him.”
The memorial service was held on Briggs Field, and hundreds of uniformed officers were present, CNN reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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