GARLAND, Box Elder County — Hundreds of Utahns and law enforcement officers from across the country showed up at a public viewing on Wednesday to support the two officers who were shot and killed in the line of duty last week in Box Elder County.
The viewing was held at Box Elder High School in Garland for Tremonton-Garland Police Sgt. Lee Sorensen and police officer Eric Estrada. Several hundred people showed up at 3 p.m., braving a downpour of rain.
The two police officers were shot and killed on Aug. 17, and a county sheriff’s deputy and a K-9 were shot and injured, while responding to a domestic violence call in Tremonton. Ryan Michael Bate, the man accused of killing them, faces two capital murder charges, among other charges, for which prosecutors announced they are seeking the death penalty.
The families of the slain officers had their own private viewings last week before the public viewing at the high school on Wednesday.
American flags lined the front lawn of Bear River High School and the hallways as people waited to pay their respects. While waiting, people signed blue and black flags embroidered with the officers’ names, which will be placed on the caskets for burial. Blue and black ribbons in honor of the police were visible on just about every attendee’s shirt or uniform.
Police officers and county deputies from all across the state and even the country showed up, dressed in uniform to support their fallen brothers in blue. Officers from the Brotherhood for the Fallen traveled from Boston, New York, Chicago and Texas to show their support.
Representatives from the Unified Police Department arrive for the viewing of both Tremont-Garland officers at Bear River High School in Garland, Box Elder County, on Wednesday. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Teachers at Bear River High School and law enforcement from Box Elder County helped usher the line at the viewing. It took approximately an hour for mourners to reach the caskets due to the number of people attending the viewing.
Dozens of red, white and blue bouquets surrounded the gymnasium as lines of people slowly shook hands with the families and admired tables filled with jackets, hats, police badges, flags, awards and other mementos spread out to honor the two men. Estrada’s table even had pickleball paddles.
Flowers were placed in the officers’ police boots, and hand-painted portraits were hung next to TVs that played slideshows of family photos. Both officers’ caskets were closed and covered by American flags.
Among the many flowers was a pencil-drawn portrait of Jesus with his arms around Estrada and Sorensen, and a massive Tremonton-Garland police badge made out of spray-painted daisies.
Cindi Facer, of nearby Willard, is close with one of Sorensen’s relatives. She said it’s been incredible to see the massive show of support for the two families.
“It doesn’t matter where we’re from, everyone is supporting them, and I think it’s fantastic,” she said.
From young teenagers who hosted a lemonade fundraiser to retired police sergeants from other states, the fallen officers’ deaths have impacted everyone, she said.
Former Brigham City Police Chief Mike Nelson spoke of how, in small towns such as Tremonton, all of the agencies in surrounding areas become close.
“We rely on each other for backup. And even though they might be 20 minutes away, we back up other cities and officers all the time. When you do training, you get to know your fellow brothers and sisters in blue … and become friends,” Nelson said.
Nelson was a police officer for 43 years, the last seven of which he was police chief. He experienced two officer deaths during his time, both of which impacted him deeply. These two officers’ deaths are no exception and have had a large impact on all of Box Elder County.
“It does really impact the whole community. It brings people together. … It seems to happen too often. It’s a sad situation,” Nelson said.
Everyone in Tremonton knew Sorensen, or knew someone who knew him, due to the community’s close-knit nature, according to Bear River High School teacher Allison Liljenquist.
While many people in attendance at the viewing had some sort of connection to one or both of the officers, Logan resident Teresa Garza was touched by how many people showed up who didn’t even know the men.
She didn’t know either man, but as the mother of a son who was in law enforcement for many years, she felt she had to come. Since the incident, she keeps thinking, “What if it was my kid that didn’t come home?”
She said her son has attended “too many” police funerals and couldn’t bear to go to another.
Garza was touched by the procession last week that went down the street right in front of her house. She’s been amazed by how much the community has come together to support the families and law enforcement agencies.
Estrada’s funeral will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Utah State University Spectrum in Logan. A procession to the Logan City Cemetery will follow, after which the family will have a private burial service.
Sorensen’s funeral will also be at the Spectrum at 10 a.m. on Friday. A procession will follow as his casket is taken to Tremonton, where he will be transferred from a hearse to a horse-drawn carriage before a private burial service.