EDMONTON — Thousands of police officers and emergency personnel have arrived at an Edmonton conference centre where the funeral of a slain city policeman will be held.
A colourful procession that began at the provincial legislature wound through the downtown core with marchers in dress uniforms of blue, red, green and black.
People lined the streets to pay their last respects to Const. Daniel Woodall.
He died on June 8 as he tried to serve an arrest warrant to a man suspected of anti-Semitic bullying.
Norman Raddatz fired dozens of shots through his front door, killing Woodall and wounding another officer, before shooting himself.
Woodall came to the Edmonton Police Service in 2007 after serving four years with the force in Manchester, England.
"There are really no words great enough to express my love and gratitude to the city of Edmonton. You have shown so much love and support to myself, my family, and all first responders," Woodall's widow, Claire, said in a statement issued before the funeral.
"We will be forever grateful. I am lucky to call Edmonton my home."
"We would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes and thoughts at this very sad time. Dan was the light of our lives and the people of Edmonton have taken to him like one of their own," Woodall's parents, David and Denise, said in the same statement.
"Thank you all again. We love you all."
The regimental funeral is to include tributes from friends and speeches from dignitaries, including police Edmonton Chief Rod Knecht and Mayor Don Iveson.
