Hundreds Attend Funeral Service For NJ Boy Struck By Police Vehicle
By Cleve Bryan
WILLIAMSTOWN, N.J., (CBS) -- Hundreds attended a funeral service at Our Lady of Peace Parish as family laid to rest 10-year-old Matthew McCloskey who was struck and killed earlier this week by a police vehicle.
"The whole town is shook up," says Dorothy Rudolph, McCloskey's neighbor.
Matthew previously lived in Williamstown and some of his football teammates wore their blue and black jackets and brought him farewell gifts.
"They brought in a football and they put it in the casket and there's also some baseball jersey's from his baseball teams and it was hard to see that," says Michael Festa, cousin to Matthew's mother Michelle Harding.
Several officers from the Franklin Township Police Department attended the funeral and gave a police escort to the funeral procession.
Matthew attended a junior police academy last summer and family says he dreamed of someday being an officer.
"They gave him an honorary badge which was nice of them and they saluted him which was very sad," says Festa.
Officer Nicholas Locilento who was behind the wheel of the patrol car in the crash is on administrative leave as the investigation continues.
"We've been trying to help the family along, it's been difficult for Matt's family," says Chief Michael Rock.
Rock won't give any details about the incident but says his department is turning all evidence to the Gloucester Prosecutor's Office, including any video Locilento's dash camera recorded Sunday night.
First Assistant Prosecutor Mary Pyffer says investigators hope to conclude their findings next week and will share information with the family before making it public.
It is still unknown if Officer Locilento was driving recklessly as the time of the crash or is his lights and siren were on.
Officials say he was responding to a call of an unruly teen.
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