Funeral held for Philadelphia Police Officer Jaime Roman
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Police Officer Jaime Roman, who died nearly two months after being shot in Kensington during a traffic stop, was laid to rest Thursday. He was posthumously promoted to sergeant.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said Roman died at the age of 31 on Sept. 10 "surrounded by family" at Temple University Hospital, just two weeks before his seventh anniversary as an officer with the city.
"It is that call that one of my officers has been shot or that my officers have died. There's nothing like that you could ever imagine," Bethel said during a press conference earlier this month.
"It was a hard time to see him fight for so long, but he is in a better place now, and God has him now and we will continue to pray for his family, continue to pray for the city, and continue to pray for his colleagues and the men and women of this police department," Bethel said.
A public viewing was held for Roman on Wednesday at Givnish Funeral Home on Academy Road in Northeast Philadelphia. A Commanders March from nearby Archbishop Ryan High School to the funeral home also honored Roman.
Early Thursday morning, a procession from Givnish Funeral Home brought Office Roman's casket to the Philadelphia Public Service Building, where the hearse carrying Roman continued to the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.
Inside the Basilica, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and Bethel expressed gratitude to Roman's family.
"We are always going to be here for you," Shapiro said. "We make that promise because of the debt we owe to Jaime and our law enforcement officers."
"Today is a day to remember and honor the sacrifices of Officer Jaime Roman," Parker said. "The ultimate pain and the price he paid for the people of the city of Philadelphia."
"We will rise to show that Jaime will not be forgotten, his life and sacrifice will not be in vain," Bethel said.
Hundreds of Philadelphia Police officers walked through the streets of Philadelphia behind the hearse and arrived at the church around 6:30 a.m.
A second viewing began at 8 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica and concluded at 11 a.m. Roman's funeral, which was not open to the public, followed the viewing shortly before 11:30 a.m.
Officers from other departments were there Wednesday to show their support for Roman's family.
"All that matters is that we come for the family, and not just today, always," an officer from the New York City Police Department said. "We are always here for the family."
"You'll see the police officers coming today, but you're going to see a number of other individuals who don't know Jaime but just heard his story ... and want to give honor to the service he gave to the city, and they will pay their respects throughout the night tonight and tomorrow at the basilica," Bethel said Wednesday.
Eddystone Police Department Officer Mark Clark remembered Roman as a "gentle soul." Clark and Roman were in the same academy class together.
"He was a family man. Loved his kids, loved his wife, you know, loved the job," Clark said. "So he was just a gentle soul, spoke with a soft voice, you know, just a great all-around great guy. It's a shame this had to happen to him. It shows in the seriousness of this job. In part, it's also the community that we have, the brotherhood. You have Philadelphia Police, you have Camden County, Pennsylvania State Police, Jersey State Police. It's a brotherhood, and we'll take you to the grave with us."
Road closures and traffic detours in effect for Officer Roman's funeral
Closed from 5 a.m. until the end of the service on Sept. 19:
- 18th Street between Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Vine Street
Closed until 5:30 a.m. until the end of the procession on Sept 19:
- 15th Street between Spring Garden Street and Callowhill Street
- Broad Street between Spring Garden Street and Callowhill Street
- Callowhill Street between Broad Street and 17th Street
- 17th Street between Callowhill and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Closed from 6 a.m. until the end of the service on Thursday, Sept. 19:
- Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 16th Street and 22nd Street
- Vine Street between Logan Circle and 16th Street
- Race Street between 17th Street and 18th Street
- 17th Street between Vine Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
- 19th Street between Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Cherry Street
The city said additional streets near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Eakins Oval could also be closed or detoured by police if necessary.
On June 22, Roman was shot in the neck during a traffic stop in Kensington. Police said Roman and his partner, Officer Azieme Lindsey, were surveying a car during a stop in the 3500 block of F Street when they spotted a holster.
Bethel said on the night of the shooting, one of the four passengers fled the car and fired three times at Roman as he ran away. Police later identified the alleged shooter as 36-year-old Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez. Officials said Vazquez was driving an unregistered vehicle without a driver's license.
Vazquez was initially charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and numerous other offenses, including aggravated assault and criminal trespass, but the charges were upgraded to murder following Roman's death.
