Communities Mourn Fallen Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino
AUBURN (CBS) -- Communities are mourning the death of 42-year-old Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr., who was killed in the line of duty early Sunday morning.
On Monday morning, dozens of people had visited a makeshift memorial outside the Auburn Police Station.
"It's awful. It's just devastating," one woman told WBZ-TV's Nicole Jacobs. "It should (have) never happened."
The growing memorial shows the outpouring of support from the town, with people leaving candles, flowers, and handwritten notes.
"(I was) really devastated and then when I heard he had young children...(it's just) terrible," a woman told WBZ.
Investigators say Tarentino, a husband and father of three, was shot to death by 35-year-old Jorge Zambrano during a traffic stop in Auburn.
Read: Gunman Who Killed Auburn Police Officer Had Attacked Police Before
"It hits home having kids and knowing some kids don't have their father and someone lost their husband," said one woman. "It's heartbreaking."
"He was killed doing his job. Nobody deserves that," added another woman.
Students and staff at Auburn High School saluted Monday to honor Tarentino.
Leicester, where Tarentino and his family lived, is also paying their respects to the officer.
Tarentino, who served two years as an Auburn officer, was a regular at Mike's Donuts on Route 9, and the shop named a breakfast sandwich after him called the "RonDer."
He also had a special blue-and-white mug that reads "Top Cop" next to a police cruiser.
"I haven't stopped crying all day. None of us have," said one worker. "This whole entire shop has been at a standstill."
At a news conference Monday afternoon, Leicester Police Chief James Hurley said, "We are devastated by this loss."
"There is no doubt in my mind that the traffic stop, which led to Officer Tarentino's tragic death, prevented a violent crime from occuring to someone else," he said. "And that was what Ron was all about."
Hurley said Tarentino served as a Leicester policeman for seven years, adding that he had a great smile that will be missed.
"Tom was all about helping others," said the police chief.
Leicester Police Sergeant Paul Doray said Tarentino made friends wherever he went and was just a regular guy.
"It's difficult to stand here right now," he said, pausing to compose himself.
"When we brought him home yesterday, you saw the people lining the streets. Ron was more than just a cop."
When he wasn't fighting crime, Tarentino's longtime friend John Peduzzi says Ronald was his partner in cars. He said Tarentino had a love of mustangs, and the duo worked on cars together.
Roadside signs paying tribute to the fallen officer can be seen in both communities.
Burns Bridge, which connects Shrewsbury and Worcester, will shine blue Monday night to pay homage to Tarentino, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Twitter account.
A memorial fund has been set up to help Tarentino's family.
WBZ-TV's Nicole Jacobs and Paul Burton contributed to this report.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports
