Annual luncheon held for fallen police officers from Philadelphia region
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Fallen police officers from the Philadelphia area will never be forgotten. That was the message Wednesday as their loved ones came together to honor their lives.
An honor guard made their way through North Broad Street in Spring Garden Wednesday afternoon.
"Give us an opportunity to come together in solidarity," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.
The Philadelphia Police Union hosted its 25th annual survivors' luncheon.
"It's still hard. I shed some tears today even though years gone by," Shaki-ra Wilson-Burroughs said.
The luncheon honors the lives of the men and women in blue who died or who were critically injured in the line of duty while serving the city.
Among them is fallen police Sgt. Robert Wilson, the brother of Shaki-ra.
"I miss them every day, we usually would talk every day. So of course not being able to talk to him now it's hard," Wilson-Burroughs said.
Sgt. Wilson was 30 years old when he tried to stop an armed robbery at a North Philadelphia GameStop in 2015, but he was shot and killed. His sister and other family members go to the luncheon every year in his honor.
"It just means that they're never forgotten and that we still have someone to turn to that understands how we're feeling," Wilson-Burroughs said.
Sgt. George Hall was running after a suspect when the 44-year-old had a heart attack and died. That was in 1989. But his daughter says the luncheon keeps his memory alive.
"I just remember he was always loving and caring and when I come here I get so many stories about my dad," Sarah Colton said.
"Unfortunately, every year it feels like there's more new families that come but that's our time to embrace them and all come together," she added.
The Fraternal Order of Police says in the almost 200 years of the Philadelphia Police Department, more than 260 officers have given the ultimate sacrifice.