A year after his death, memorial service held for late Brackenridge Police Chief Justin McIntire
BRACKENRIDGE, Pa. (KDKA) — There was a massive outpouring of support from a community still healing from the loss of their police chief one year ago.
Brackenridge Police Chief Justin McIntire was shot and killed on the job on Jan. 2, 2023. He served 22 years and was beloved by his community. A memorial at Brackenridge Memorial Park on Wednesday capped off a day of tributes around the borough on "Chief McIntire Day."
"I was a former 911 dispatcher," event organizer Amanda O'Connor said. "I worked with Justin for 17 years. I've lived in the area, so I've been friends with him and his family. We all had mutual friends around here, it's a small town."
Hundreds gathered Wednesday night and stood with candles to support each other and honor a fallen hero.
"I'm so grateful to everybody who showed up for our community in the immediate aftermath of our chief's death but who have continued to support our community," Brackenridge Mayor Lindsay Fraser said. "But mostly I'm grateful for my neighbors and the people that are in this community for the way that we have traveled through this grief together."
O'Connor said Brackenridge has banded together over the last year to grieve and remember the chief's lifetime of service to the community.
"It's important to keep his memory alive," O'Connor said. "He sacrificed a lot, obviously, doing what he loved to do."
Pastors delivered moving words and prayers while the crowd held hands, singing "Amazing Grace" and "Hallelujah" with the choir.
"He was uncommonly kind and gentle. He was much quicker to a smile than he was anger," the mayor said.
"He valued and he loved this community," said Dean Ward, pastor of The River Community Church. "And if you live in this Alle-Kiski Valley, it's hard not to love community."
Wednesday was designated as "Chief McIntire Day" in the Highlands School District, which is where he graduated high school.