Two state troopers died last weekend in Charlottesville. They had been monitoring the rally from above and were returning to base when their helicopter crashed. Mallory Noe-Payne attended the first of two funerals and has this report.
Family, friends and officials, including Virginia’s governor, gathered in a church just outside Richmond for the funeral of state trooper Berke Bates. Bates had served as part of Governor Terry McAuliffe’s personal unit for three years.
"These individuals live with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They’re part of our family, we lost a brother," said an emotional McAuliffe. "I will miss him greatly."
McAuliffe was joined by his wife and children, who also all knew Bates closely.
Bates and Lieutenant Jay Cullen were supporting the police on the ground by doing surveillance from the air last weekend. They shot footage of someone ramming a car into a crowd of counter-protestors.
Virginia State Police superintendent Colonel Steven Flaherty says they were there to help people exercise their most fundamental right.
“To exercise their free speech, that’s why he was there," Flaherty said. "That’s why we were all there.”
Tomorrow state troopers, local police and the governor will gather again for the funeral of 48-year-old Jay Cullen. The lieutenant leaves behind a wife and two kids.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.